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NBA informs teams ‘tanking’ policies will be reviewed

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Tanking, the controversial practice of teams deliberately losing games to gain advantageous draft positioning, continues to challenge the NBA’s competitive integrity, and it’s something commissioner Adam Silver wants to curb.

On Friday, ESPN insider Shams Charania reported that the league notified all 30 franchises of a renewed review into anti-tanking policies.

This initiative aims to address persistent issues, potentially modifying draft pick protections, revising lottery odds, and exploring other deterrents to discourage deliberate losses.

The review echoes earlier concerns, which led to changes to the lottery format in 2017. The new rules were implemented ahead of the 2019 NBA draft.

Silver has expressed frustration with tanking’s impact on fan engagement and league parity, though specific details from related announcements remain limited.

Fan reactions on X vary: Some fear it could trap bad teams in mediocrity, while others criticize the league for prioritizing this over officiating inconsistencies. Critics argue that without tanking, rebuilding franchises might struggle longer, but proponents see it as essential for maintaining excitement.

As the NBA evolves, these changes could reshape team strategies, ensuring a more level playing field amid growing scrutiny, especially in the face of various gambling scandals.

Flyers issue statement about radio announcer’s hot mic moment

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The Philadelphia Flyers swiftly responded to a controversial hot mic incident involving veteran radio play-by-play announcer Tim Saunders during Thursday night’s 5-3 loss to the Buffalo Sabres.

In the third period, during a TV timeout, Saunders believed the broadcast on 97.5 The Fanatic had gone to a commercial. After a brief silence, he made a sexually suggestive remark to someone off-mic.

“While you’re down there, would you mind blowing me?” he said.

His color analyst, Todd Fedoruk, immediately warned, “I think we’re still on the air, Tim,” prompting laughter and realization from Saunders.

The clip quickly went viral, amplified by a popular breakdown video from Jomboy Media, shown above, that dubbed it an “all-time great hot mic moment.”

On Friday, the Flyers issued a statement condemning the comment as inappropriate and not reflective of organizational standards. Together with radio partner 97.5 The Fanatic, they announced an immediate two-game suspension for Saunders, who is in his 29th season with the team.

“We are aware of the inappropriate comment made during last night’s radio broadcast in the TV timeout of the Flyers-Sabres game.

“These remarks do not reflect the standards of conduct or values we expect from anyone associated with our organization,” the statement read.

“Effective immediately, the Flyers, along with our radio partners, 97.5 The Fanatic, have issued a two-game suspension while we address this matter with all parties involved.

“We take this matter very seriously, and sincerely apologize to our listeners, fans and all those affected by these comments.”

The organization apologized sincerely to listeners, fans, and those affected. Saunders, through the Flyers Broadcast Network, also issued an apology.

Randy Moss rings bell after completing his cancer treatment

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NFL Hall of Famer Randy Moss celebrated a monumental victory this September, ringing the traditional bell at Atrium Health Levine Cancer Institute in Charlotte to mark the end of his Stage 2 bile duct cancer treatment.

The legendary wide receiver, aged 48, was diagnosed in late 2024 after noticing symptoms like jaundice and dark urine. He underwent a stent placement on Thanksgiving, followed by a six-hour Whipple procedure in December to remove the tumor — affecting parts of his pancreas, gallbladder, and bile duct.

Moss then completed rounds of chemotherapy and radiation while stepping away from his ESPN “Sunday NFL Countdown” role.

Throughout his journey, Moss embodied resilience, coining the phrase “Let’s Moss cancer” and drawing immense support from fans, family, and the NFL community.

In the uplifting video shared by Atrium Health, a smiling Moss, wearing a “Team Moss” hoodie, rang the bell enthusiastically.

He declared, “I ring this bell and know the future begins today,” before thanking staff: “I want to thank everybody here at this hospital for welcoming me to be a part of their extended family… Y’all do a great job of taking care of people.”

Moss returned to ESPN for the 2025 season, proving his unbreakable spirit both on and off the field.

Woman tried so hard to get an Instagram photo with Anthony Joshua

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Following Anthony Joshua’s emphatic sixth-round knockout of Jake Paul on Friday night in Miami, the British heavyweight celebrated with fans at the Kaseya Center. Amid the post-fight chaos, one woman stood out for all the wrong reasons.

A viral video, shared widely on X, captures her initially clinging to Joshua’s arm as he navigates the crowd shirtless and glistening under arena lights.

For nearly a minute, she surrounds him, phone in hand, angling for a selfie or Instagram story while smiling awkwardly. Joshua, largely indifferent, continues greeting others and barely acknowledges her persistent efforts.

The clip, captioned “Fighting for her life to get that ig story,” quickly racked up hundreds of thousands of views. Viewers flooded comments with second-hand embarrassment, calling it “incredibly cringeworthy” and a classic “thirsty” move. Many noted how others simply walked past without reacting.

Joshua, currently single with no confirmed girlfriend and known for keeping his personal life private, has long attracted intense fan attention. The moment underscores the wild fervor surrounding the gold medalist after his dominant return to form.

Jake Paul gets the meme treatment after loss to Anthony Joshua

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Jake Paul lost to Anthony Joshua in their boxing match at Kaseya Center in Miami, Fla., on Friday night in a result that was satisfying to many people.

Paul, 28, gained fame as a YouTube/social media personality. He transitioned to trying out professional boxing in 2020, and ran up an impressive 12-1 record beating many famous people who were not exactly professional boxers. Paul has faced allegations that his fights are fixed/scripted, which is why many fans were happy to finally see him get taken down.

Joshua beat Paul with a 6th-round knockout.

Fans had been longing to see Paul go down, and they got their wish. That’s why social media became flooded with memes.

Fans were only too happy to see Paul go down. Some even wondered how he lasted until the sixth round against Joshua, who is an Olympic gold medalist. That is a good question.

Drake made ridiculous bet on Jake Paul-Anthony Joshua fight

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Drake’s reputation as a terrible sports bettor remained intact Friday after he showed his personal pick for the Jake Paul-Anthony Joshua fight.

Drake posted a bet slip on his Instagram story hours before Paul took on Joshua in a heavyweight boxing match at Kaseya Center in Miami, Fla. In the post, Drake revealed that he had bet $200,000 on Paul, an 8-to-1 underdog, to win the fight.

“Jakeyyyyy boy. Lock tf in,” Drake captioned his post.

The Toronto-based rapper’s bet would have paid out $1.64 million had Paul upset Joshua. But Drake saw none of that money as Joshua (29-4, 26 KOs) knocked out Paul (12-2, 7 KOs) in the sixth round of the eight-round match.

Paul actually lasted longer than most probably expected, as the YouTuber-turned-boxer stayed alive with numerous clinches. Joshua ended things with back-to-back knockdowns in Round 6, with the second one keeping Paul down for good.

Add Paul to the growing list of victims of the Drake bet curse. Whichever team Drake has backed with his money over the years has historically gone on to lose. Drake’s hometown Toronto Blue Jays were the latest to succumb to the jinx.

While Joshua would have probably won the fight without any help from mystical forces, Drake simply sealed the deal.

At this point, Drake may have an undisclosed agreement with the betting company “Stake,” which is the sports book that usually takes his action. There’s a world wherein he doesn’t actually lose any money on the losing picks he constantly shares on social media, and his posts are simply for promotional purposes.

Otherwise, Drake may just be one of the least savvy bettors on the planet.

Oklahoma fans left early during Sooners’ choke job against Alabama

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Oklahoma fans got strapped into a rollercoaster of emotions Friday that crashed and burned at the hands of Alabama.

The Sooners gave their fans plenty to cheer about early as they took a 17-0 lead in the second quarter at Memorial Stadium in Norman, Okla. The home team looked like it was ready to cruise to the next round of the College Football Playoff.

Oklahoma’s cheers died down as the game progressed, with Alabama closing the game on a 34-7 run to win 34-24 in front of a stunned crowd. Many Sooners fans headed for the exits before the game reached its conclusion.

The Oklahoma fans who did stay all had incredulous looks on their faces as reality started to set in that the Sooners would blow the game.

While Alabama made some huge plays down the stretch to pull off the comeback, Oklahoma also committed several self-inflicted errors throughout the contest.

Sooners punter Grayson Miller muffed a kick so badly that some fans wanted him under investigation. Kicker Tate Sandell followed suit, missing on two field goal attempts in the final three minutes that prevented Oklahoma from having any chance at a comeback.

Sandell, who won the Lou Groza Award as the best placekicker in college football this year, had made 24 straight field goals before missing his last two.

With the defeat, Oklahoma became the first team to lose at home in the College Football Playoff. All four home teams won last season when the CFP first expanded to 12 squads.

It’s no surprise that Sooners fans didn’t want to stick around for much longer.

Alabama WR Germie Bernard had one of the best catches of the season

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Alabama prevailed over Oklahoma in their College Football Playoff first-round game on Friday night at Memorial Stadium in Norman, Okla., and wide receiver Germie Bernard made a statement in the contest.

Bernard had 3 catches for 40 yards in his Crimson Tide’s 34-24 win over the Sooners. He made a great catch to help set up his team in the fourth quarter. Bama had a 2nd-and-4 with under 9 minutes left. They faked a handoff and Ty Simpson threw to Bernard to the right. Bernard leaped and reached over the back and helmet of Jacobe Johnson for the catch.

That was a crazy grab and helped set up an Alabama touchdown run to make it 34-24. The Tide hung on for the victory by that score, getting helped by Oklahoma missing two field goals late in the game.

Bernard, who played at Michigan State and Washington prior to Alabama, entered the game with 57 catches for 762 yards and 7 touchdowns.

Fans all noted how Bernard had Mossed the defender on the play.

Yes, that is exactly how it looks for a player to get Mossed.

Fans were suspicious after Oklahoma punter committed head-scratching blunder

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Some fans felt the fix was in after a bizarre error from Oklahoma’s punter helped Alabama mount a first-half comeback Friday in their College Football Playoff matchup at Memorial Stadium in Norman, Okla.

The Sooners led the Crimson Tide 17-7 with four and a half minutes left in the second quarter. Oklahoma decided to punt from their own 42 after John Mateer missed on a third-down deep ball to Xavier Robinson.

What appeared to start as a standard punt ended in disaster for the home team. Oklahoma punter Grayson Miller caught the snap, dropped the ball, but somehow forgot the kick part of the punt.

Alabama defensive tackle Tim Keenan III gobbled up Miller’s second attempt as the Crimson Tide recovered possession at Oklahoma’s 30.

Miller’s glaring error raised some red flags among fans who felt like a top-end college punter should never commit such an egregious mistake.

Alabama was unable to fully capitalize on the excellent field position Miller’s muffed punt gifted them. But the Crimson Tide did score a field goal to get them within 17-10 of the Sooners.

Alabama rode that momentum to tie the game at 17 after two quarters.

Alabama burned by controversial call to end first half vs. Oklahoma

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Alabama lost a chance to take a late first-half lead Friday during its College Football Playoff matchup against Oklahoma.

Alabama battled back from down 17-0 to tie the game at 17 in the final minute of the first half at Memorial Stadium in Norman, Okla. The Crimson Tide’s defense forced a quick three-and-out that should have given the visitors a chance to score with under 30 seconds left.

However, Alabama lost that opportunity due to a flag that was thrown about 40 yards away from the line of scrimmage. A referee collided with a person standing on Alabama’s sideline as the official tried to keep up with a Crimson Tide receiver running a downfield route.

Alabama was called for sideline interference, resulting in a 15-yard penalty. Oklahoma got the ball back and ran out the clock to keep the game tied at halftime. With the incident occurring away from the ball, ESPN was unable to provide a replay angle that showed which Alabama player or staffer was at fault.

Alabama still had a timeout remaining and enough time to get within field goal range. After falling behind by 17 early, taking a halftime lead would have been an even bigger momentum booster for the Crimson Tide.

Some fans may recall another SEC team getting burned by a similar call during last season’s Sugar Bowl. The identity of the culprit that time around was crystal clear.

Everyone said the same thing before Alabama-Oklahoma game kicked off

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Fans were buzzing about the Alabama-Oklahoma game Friday for reasons other than the football action that was about to take place on the field.

Spectators got long, hard looks at Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer and his Oklahoma counterpart Brent Venables before their College Football Playoff game kicked off at Memorial Stadium in Norman, Okla. Both coaches were interviewed, and the ESPN broadcast even showed them exchanging pleasantries as players from both sides warmed up.

Several fans said that DeBoer and Venables resembled twins who got separated at birth. It helped that the two were wearing the same outfit: a black hoodie with a red logo cap.

The hoodie and cap combo has been DeBoer’s good luck charm of late, with Alabama enjoying much success on the field whenever he rocks the look. Venables may have been trying to put a reverse jinx on his rival with his own outfit choice.

The Oklahoma coach’s voodoo charm (and fine, his football acumen) appeared to work in the first half, as the Sooners scored the game’s first 17 points to take a commanding early lead over the Crimson Tide.

Bills signing 4-time Pro Bowler after he got waived by division rival

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The Buffalo Bills are adding a veteran piece to their lineup with the playoffs just around the corner.

The Bills are planning to sign linebacker Matthew Judon to the team’s practice squad, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. Judon was waived by the Miami Dolphins earlier this week and was able to clear waivers to become a free agent.

Judon earned four Pro Bowl nods throughout his career and even received Defensive Player of the Year votes for his stellar 2022 campaign. Judon was a defensive force for the New England Patriots that season, recording 15.5 sacks across a full season.

Judon’s relationship with the Patriots crumbled the following season over a contract dispute, leading New England to trade him to the Atlanta Falcons in 2024. The Patriots were reportedly “sick” of Judon during his final year in Foxborough.

The former Division II standout has yet to regain his 2022 season form. Judon has totaled just 9.5 sacks since 2023 and has yet to record a single sack this season.

The Bills are hoping a change of scenery and a playoff push could help Judon find his footing once again.

Lane Kiffin’s son Knox receives scholarship offer from Power 4 school

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Knox Kiffin, the son of LSU head coach Lane Kiffin, has received a scholarship offer from a Power 4 school.

Kiffin posted on social media that he has received an offer from the Washington Huskies.

Washington is the second Power 4 school to offer Kiffin a scholarship, as SMU has also done so. A few smaller schools have also made him offers.

Knox Kiffin does appear to be shaping up to be a legitimate recruit, even though he is in the class of 2028. He is not yet ranked, but the sophomore at Oxford High School in Oxford, Miss. threw for 11 touchdowns on the season. One can assume he will be looking for a new place to play next season after his father’s acrimonious departure from Ole Miss.

There is, of course, always a chance that Kiffin winds up playing for his father at LSU. He may have played a part in leaking the news that Lane was taking the job, though it is not clear if he actually wants to play for his dad or if he would prefer to strike out on his own.

Seahawks LB Derick Hall suspended by NFL

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Seattle Seahawks linebacker Derick Hall has been suspended by the NFL for stomping on an opponent.

The NFL determined that Hall stepped on Los Angeles Rams guard Kevin Dotson during Thursday’s game at Lumen Field in Seattle, Wash. The league determined Hall committed “an act of unnecessary roughness and unsportsmanlike conduct” by stepping on Dotson’s ankle.

Hall was not flagged on the play and plans to appeal the suspension, likely arguing that he was trying to step over Dotson instead of on him. Dotson was injured seriously enough that he had to be carted off the field and was seen on crutches following the game.

This is a very quick turnaround time for an NFL suspension, as it came less than 24 hours after the incident actually happened. The league obviously felt that Hall intentionally did it, and clearly wanted to handle this as quickly as possible.

If the suspension is upheld, Hall will be forced to miss Seattle’s Week 17 game against the Carolina Panthers. The third-year linebacker has appeared in 13 games this season and has 29 total tackles and one sack.

Dillon Brooks gets criticized for his dangerous foul on Steph Curry

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Dillon Brooks went after yet another NBA superstar this week.

Brooks and the Phoenix Suns faced off on Thursday against Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors. In the final minute of the fourth quarter at Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix, Ariz., Brooks committed a dangerous foul on the Warriors star Curry.

Curry was attempting a three-pointer from the right corner, and Brooks came in way late to contest. Brooks jumped towards Curry, and then in a seemingly separate motion, whacked Curry across the stomach and ribs area. Here is the video.

Brooks was whistled for a flagrant 1 foul on the play, which resulted in two free throws as well as possession for the Warriors. Golden State was trailing 96-91 at the time, but they were able to tie the game during that trip down the floor after Curry hit both flagrant free throws and teammate Jimmy Butler proceeded to make a three-pointer.

Phoenix still went on to win though by a final score of 99-98. Suns guard Jordan Goodwin was fouled by on a putback attempt with 0.4 seconds left and hit the second of two free throws to give Phoenix the victory.

As for Brooks, he was resoundingly criticized online for the dangerous foul on Curry. Some even questioned how Brooks was not given a flagrant 2 on the play and ejected.

The former All-Defensive selection Brooks is known as one of the NBA’s great superstar irritants these days and made headlines earlier in the week for the latest chapter in his rivalry with LeBron James. But part of Brooks’ M.O. is seemingly dirty plays as well, which we have seen some notorious examples of in even the playoffs.

Dolphins may have already decided on Mike McDaniel’s future

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Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel has seemingly been on the hot seat for the bulk of the season. In reality, though, he might not have much to worry about.

McDaniel is likely to be brought back in 2026, according to Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports. Prospective general manager hires are also operating under the assumption that McDaniel will be retained.

“They love Mike,” a league source told Jones. “They felt like he’s had a tough hand and they want to give him a shot.”

McDaniel appears to be the one figure in Miami not being blamed for the Dolphins’ rough season. General manager Chris Grier was fired in October, while quarterback Tua Tagovailoa is being benched for the remainder of the season. That decision appears to have been made by McDaniel himself.

McDaniel’s record with Miami is very mixed. He guided the team to the playoffs in his first two seasons, but has failed to continue that success in each of the last two years. He has also drawn significant criticism from pundits, particularly when the Dolphins got off to a 2-7 start this year.

The Dolphins are going to look a lot different next season, as Tagovailoa might not be back and another star looks to be out the door too. Organizational leadership clearly trusts McDaniel to guide the franchise through that turmoil.

Brian Windhorst suggests only 2 teams are in play for LeBron James in 2026-27

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Brian Windhorst cannot envision LeBron James playing for a fourth different NBA team.

The ESPN analyst Windhorst appeared this week on “The Ryen Russillo Show.” During the episode, Windhorst spoke about the future of the Los Angeles Lakers star James beyond this season.

Windhorst indicated that he can only realistically envision James playing for two teams in 2026-27 — the incumbent Lakers as well as the Cleveland Cavaliers.

“I could see LeBron as a Cav or as a Laker,” said Windhorst. “Suppose that I could see him maybe one or two other places. Like, I could I could construct something. I could see that, but he doesn’t have anything to prove. He doesn’t need anything.

“And I think he can keep playing with the Lakers,” Windhorst added. “He’s just not going to do it at 50 million.”

James, who turns 41 later this month, is only under contract for this season at $52.6 million. Many have assumed that this will be James’ final year with the Lakers, in part because of his reported offseason issues with the team (as they look to fully build around the Luka Doncic era instead) and in part because retirement is also very much on the table for James after a whopping 23 NBA seasons.

To his credit, James has looked decent ever since missing the first month of the season due to a right sciatica issue. Though his overall numbers are down (18.6 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 7.5 assists per game), James has moved fairly nicely into a more complementary role for the 19-7 Lakers.

That would seemingly suggest that James could still have a future in a lesser capacity with the Lakers beyond this season. That could also be true of the Cavaliers, James’ native team whom he played 11 total seasons with and led to an NBA championship in 2016. Cleveland was also linked to a potential reunion with the four-time MVP James earlier this year after James posted a notable message about them over social media.

Rick Pitino would not raise banner for NBA Cup

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The New York Knicks are the 2025 NBA Cup champions after defeating the San Antonio Spurs 124-113 in Las Vegas on Tuesday. Despite the title, the Knicks decided not to raise a banner in Madison Square Garden.

The Knicks’ decision not to put a banner up has sparked mixed reviews, but former Knicks coach Rick Pitino admits he also wouldn’t want to hang a banner.

“For a tournament in Vegas, no, I would not hang a banner. I would congratulate them, say it’s awesome. It’s great winning the Cup, but that’s Madison Square Garden. We hang championships and we hang [banners honoring] legendary figures,” Pitino said, via Adam Zagoria of NJ.com.

The Knicks said the decision not to raise a banner was because they have “bigger goals in mind.”

Former NBA star Dwight Howard said the Knicks should “celebrate your wins while you can” as he disagreed with the decision not to raise a banner.

Previously, the Los Angeles Lakers and Milwaukee Bucks chose to hang banners in their respective arenas after winning the NBA Cup.

Pitino was the Knicks’ head coach for two seasons from 1987-1989. He has notably coached at Kentucky and Louisville in college, and now, St. John’s. He has won two national championships in college basketball, so he knows all about focusing on the big goals rather than the small ones.

NBA brings back a controversial referee

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The NBA is bringing a controversial referee back into its ranks.

Eric Lewis, a veteran official who retired in 2023 amid a league investigation, has been reinstated into the NBA’s officiating program, the league announced Friday.

Lewis will initially officiate G League games before any possible return to the NBA.

Lewis came under scrutiny in 2023 when it was discovered that he allegedly used a burner account to defend himself from critics on social media. He ultimately announced his retirement before the league’s investigation could be concluded, so no official findings were ever made public.

The NBA acknowledged in its statement that Lewis “made a mistake in engaging on social media,” seemingly confirming that the burner account was really his work. He was required to complete stress management counseling and training on responsible use of social media before he could be reinstated.

A 19-year veteran at the time of his initial retirement, Lewis was regarded as one of the NBA’s better officials, and had worked the NBA Finals for four straight years from 2019 to 2022. His history as a quality official is likely a big reason why the league was willing to welcome him back at all.

Arch Manning is taking a pay cut from Texas

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In an era where college athletes are seeing their NIL figures go up with every passing year, Texas quarterback Arch Manning is taking a very different approach.

Manning has agreed to take a pay cut from Texas’ revenue sharing pool for 2026, according to Justin Wells of Inside Texas. Manning is entitled to a share of compensation from Texas’ revenue sharing cap, but has agreed to reduce his share to help the Longhorns build a stronger roster for next season.

Manning can no doubt take the hit, however significant it may be. The quarterback has numerous off-field endorsements that will ensure he still makes millions in 2026, even if less of that money is coming from the school itself. In the past, he has shown a willingness to be more conservative with his NIL deals than many others would be in his position.

The 2026 season is likely to be Manning’s last at Texas before he heads off to the NFL. From that perspective, it makes sense that he wants the strongest possible roster around him with the hopes of winning a national title before he exits.

By now, Manning has dedicated his commitment to the Longhorns. He was willing to sit behind Quinn Ewers for two years without being tempted to transfer, and his willingness to take a pay cut is a selfless move, even if he can make up for it in plenty of other ways.

Manning overcame some early struggles in 2025 to throw for 2,942 yards and 24 touchdowns. Texas recovered after a 3-2 start by winning six of their last seven games, including a decisive victory over rivals Texas A&M in their final game of the season.

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