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Top target emerges in Michigan head coach search

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The Michigan Wolverines appear to have settled on their top target as they search for a new head coach.

Former Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham has emerged as Michigan’s primary target, according to Dan Wetzel and Pete Thamel of ESPN. A contract could come together quickly if top Michigan officials approve his candidacy on Friday.

Whittingham, 66, would not necessarily be a long-term solution for the Wolverines. He would, however, bring some much-needed stability to a program that has dealt with too many off-field scandals over the past several years. He has also been a consistent winner for the better part of two decades, having posted a 177-88 record in his career at Utah.

Whittingham had announced earlier this month that he was stepping down as head coach of the Utes. He strongly indicated, however, that he had no plans to retire. Sure enough, he was linked to the Michigan job within roughly a week of that announcement.

The Wolverines are believed to want a head coach in place before the transfer portal opens on Jan. 2. The timing of Sherrone Moore’s dismissal left the school in a tough spot, so it works out nicely for them that a well-respected coach like Whittingham hit the market just as they needed to make a stabilizing hire.

Michigan went 9-3 on the season and will face Texas in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl on Dec. 31.

JJ Redick sends harsh message to Lakers players after team’s loss on Christmas Day

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JJ Redick did not mince words in his assessment of his Los Angeles Lakers’ holiday performance.

The Lakers coach lambasted his team Thursday after they were blitzed 119-96 against the Houston Rockets in front of their home fans at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, Calif. The Lakers entered the game with a better record than the Rockets, but looked like the inferior team from the opening tip.

Speaking to reporters during his postgame press conference, Redick said the Lakers looked like “a terrible basketball team” against their Western Conference rivals. Redick also claimed some of his players have been all talk when it comes to building winning habits.

“Guys will say they want to win,” Redick said. “But the care factor, to me, is like, ‘Do I care enough to actually do what I’m supposed to do and just do it consistently?’ And that’s really what the championship habits are. And that’s what we don’t have right now.”

The Lakers never led in the contest, falling behind by as many as 24 points. The Rockets demolished the Lakers on the glass, 48-25, and pounded the ball inside for 68 points in the paint.

Redick hasn’t been afraid to call out any of his players. Even LeBron James managed to draw Redick’s ire when James got too friendly with Phoenix Suns players during a blowout loss earlier this month. The Lakers coach also stormed out of a press conference last month after his team got embarrassed by the Atlanta Hawks.

Despite Thursday’s loss, the 19-10 Lakers remain one of the better teams in a crowded Western Conference. But it’s clear Redick is setting the bar higher than a third-straight Lakers first-round exit.

Chiefs QB Chris Oladokun accidentally completed sick trick play

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Backup quarterback Chris Oladokun gave Kansas City Chiefs fans his best Patrick Mahomes impression on a couple of plays Thursday against the Denver Broncos.

Oladokun and the Chiefs had 2nd-and-7 at their own 40 in the opening minute of the second half at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo. Oladokun had to escape a crumbling pocket in what was shaping up to be a disastrous play.

Chiefs fans probably expected a huge loss or even a turnover when Oladokun fumbled as he rolled left. But Oladokun kept his composure, chased down the football, and threw a dart to JuJu Smith-Schuster for a first down.

Oladokun’s play would be an automatic letter in a game of gridiron H.O.R.S.E. Here’s an even better look at the unintentional trick play.

The Samford University alum pulled another rabbit out of his helmet early in the fourth quarter with a magical escape job to find Smith-Schuster again for a first down.

The game’s highlight reel, however, would make Oladokun’s performance seem better than it actually was. Oladokun went 13/22 for just 66 yards and a touchdown in his first NFL start, with a third of his yardage coming on the two plays above. He had just two of his passes go for over 10 yards.

The Chiefs still had a fighting chance in the closing minute, trailing 20-13 with possession. Oladokun got Kansas City to Denver’s 26 in the final seconds but failed to make the type of last-second pass Chiefs fans are used to seeing from Mahomes.

Jimmy Butler had awkward admission about Draymond Green-Steve Kerr incident

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Jimmy Butler had an unexpected reaction to the recent dust-up between Draymond Green and Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr.

Kerr and Green had a shouting match on the Warriors’ bench Monday in their game against the Orlando Magic at Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif. The verbal spat ended with Green storming off to the locker room, where he stayed for the rest of the contest.

Butler was asked about the issue after the Warriors’ Christmas Day win over the Dallas Mavericks. The All-Star swingman wasn’t bothered one bit. In fact, Butler claimed the incident excited him a little bit too much.

“I like that. Y’all yell at each other. Turned me on a little bit, I’m not going to even lie,” Butler told reporters. I like that. I like that confrontation. It’s good for us.”

Butler also had a non-R-rated answer for why he enjoyed the Kerr-Green spat, describing it as a controllable fire that can help the Warriors get better.

“That’s just part of the game. When you’ve been together for so long, you’re going to have arguments. It ain’t going to be quiet all the time, and it’s okay. You’ve got two fierce competitors that have won it together, and that want to continually win. … And if you’re looking at me, I’m just looking up like, ‘Alright, here we go.’ I expect that to happen. That’s okay, we move on from it.”

Green and Kerr have since apologized to one another, with both taking accountability for their part in the disagreement.

Some fairly questioned if the fiery exchange would impact the Warriors’ play, but that hasn’t been the case so far. Golden State beat Orlando 120-97 after Green went to the locker room, and followed that up with a 126-116 victory over the Mavericks.

Lions get clowned after being eliminated in embarrassing fashion vs. Vikings

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The Detroit Lions got a huge serving of fan shaming this holiday season.

The Lions’ playoff hopes went out with a whimper Thursday in their Christmas Day matchup against the Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minn. With their 23-10 loss to the Vikings, the Lions were officially eliminated from postseason contention.

Detroit somehow lost the do-or-die contest despite going up against rookie quarterback Max Brosmer, who performed miserably in place of the injured JJ McCarthy. Brosmer went 9/16 for 51 yards in the contest and gave up nearly as many yards (48) on his seven sacks.

The Lions’ offense was simply worse. Detroit QB Jared Goff coughed the ball up five times on three fumbles and a pair of interceptions. He also got sacked five times as his offensive line failed to hold on multiple occasions.

Fans added insult to injury, clowning Goff and the Lions for choking so badly in what was a must-win contest.

The Vikings scored 23 points despite Brosmer recording just three net passing yards. It was the fewest net passing yards in a win in franchise history, and the lowest total from any winning team since 1983.

Justin Jefferson led the Vikings with a measly 30 receiving yards, while fellow wide receiver Jordan Addison paced the team with 65 rushing yards on one electrify carry.

Lions fans downplayed the loss of the team’s former offensive coordinator Ben Johnson all season. Detroit sure looked like it missed Johnson on Christmas Day.

Fans blast Lu Dort for ‘dirty’ hit on Victor Wembanyama

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Several fans slammed Oklahoma City Thunder guard Lu Dort for what some considered a cheap shot on San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama during the NBA’s Christmas Day slate.

The Thunder and Spurs faced off again on Thursday for the second time in three days. After losing their last two contests against San Antonio, the defending champs entered the game with some added fire in front of their home crowd at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Okla.

Dort may have revved his engine a little too much on a play toward the end of the first half. Instead of crashing the defensive glass on a De’Aaron Fox miss, Dort ended up crashing into Wembanyama’s lower leg.

Wembanyama grabbed at his calf after the collision but ended up playing through the pain. Some fans called Dort out for rumbling into Wemby from the Frenchman’s blind side.

Dort and a few other Thunder players have a reputation for being overly aggressive on defense, which sometimes leads to some questionable moments on the court. However, in fairness to Dort, Wembanyama is over a foot taller than he is. Boxing someone out is a much more complicated endeavor when your opponent is 7’5″ or potentially even taller.

Despite Dort’s best efforts, the Thunder were not able to erase the narrative that the Spurs have their number. Wembanyama battled through the leg issue to finish with 19 points and 11 rebounds in a 117-102 San Antonio win.

Wemby also outplayed his rival, Chet Holmgren, who tallied 10 points and 12 rebounds in the contest. Perhaps Dort’s cheap shot was in response to Wembanyama mocking Holmgren earlier in the game.

Karl-Anthony Towns announces big news with his girlfriend Jordyn Woods

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Karl-Anthony Towns and Jordyn Woods are having a very eventful Christmas this year.

The New York Knicks star big man Towns announced in a joint Instagram post with his longtime girlfriend Woods on Thursday that they have gotten engaged. The couple shared photos from Towns’ proposal atop what appeared to be a New York City skyscraper.

“Marry Christmas” wrote Woods in the caption.

Towns, 30, has been in a relationship with Woods, 28, since 2020. Woods is a model and socialite who has over 4.3 million followers on Instagram and is best known for her friendship with Kylie Jenner.

The couple already sparked engagement rumors over a year ago after Woods was spotted with a large diamond ring on her finger. But now Towns and Woods are engaged for real, taking to Instagram to make the news official.

Towns played on Christmas Day for the Knicks, posting 11 points and 14 rebounds to help the team secure a very exciting 126-124 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers at Madison Square Garden in New York, N.Y. Now Towns gets to go home and spend the holidays with his newly-minted fiancée in Woods.

Rece Davis took shot at Johnny Manziel for ‘GameDay’ incident

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ESPN host Rece Davis took a shot at Johnny Manziel over the whole “GameDay” incident.

Manziel was scheduled to be the guest picker on “GameDay” last weekend ahead of the College Football Playoff game between Texas A&M and Miami. However, he didn’t end up participating on the show and instead was replaced by another Aggies alum, Alex Caruso.

Manziel shared evidence on Instagram that he was out at the Anthony Joshua-Jake Paul fight in Miami on Friday night. Some thought that maybe Manziel had partied too hard, and thought that was why he didn’t serve as the guest picker. Manziel denied it.

On Monday, ESPN published a new episode of the “College GameDay Podcast.” During the episode, Davis expressed his doubt over Manziel’s excuse for not participating in the show.

“Jake Paul… Anthony Joshua. When you go to a fight like that, you’ve got to be very careful about where you eat breakfast the next morning. Because it can leave you ill and give you difficulty in reaching the locals where you are scheduled to be. But I digress… I just wondered. Is that what the kids are calling it these days? A ‘bad breakfast?’ Anyway, wouldn’t cast dispersion anywhere. For those that follow closely, you’ll be able to read between the lines there. You have to follow a little closely,” Davis said.

Davis did not mention Manziel by name, but it’s obvious that’s about whom he was speaking.

Manziel did post something on Instagram about his absence.

“I will have plenty more to say about what transpired yesterday,” he wrote in an Instagram Story. “There is almost nothing on this earth that would have made me miss that game.

“To all the people that genuinely reached out and checked in on me I cannot thank you enough. To ESPN, Pat, Coach, Desmond, and the entire crew on gameday (sic) I apologize it was out of my control.

“To the Aggies and A&M fan base I’m sorry. I will continue to let everyone out there run with a fake narrative and at the end of the day perception always winos over reality. I love all of you who genuinely support me through good and had like you’ve all done for years. I have no doubt Texas A&M and the Aggie football program will be in that position again.

“I’m recovering and feeling about a 3/10 going to rest up and try and get back to normal.”

Manziel was implying that he was ill and that’s why he didn’t make it. Davis has other ideas.

Victor Wembanyama taunts Chet Holmgren after missed free throw

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Victor Wembanyama took Chet Holmgren’s presents during Thursday’s Christmas Day meeting.

Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs met Holmgren and the Oklahoma City Thunder for the second game of this year’s Christmas slate. In the first quarter at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Okla., Wembanyama sent Holmgren to the free throw line with a hard foul on a layup attempt.

Holmgren proceeded to miss his first attempt from the foul line, leading to Wembanyama taunting him. “Hell yeah! Hell yeah!” yelled Wembanyama while doing a celebratory gesture with his arms right after Holmgren missed.

Here is the video.

Holmgren also missed the second free throw, resulting in a totally empty trip up the floor for Oklahoma City. The Spurs also ended up coasting to another convincing victory over the Thunder, winning by a final score of 117-102.

Wembanyama, who finished Thursday’s game with 19 points and 11 rebounds in 24 minutes off the bench, has now helped lead San Antonio to three consecutive wins over Oklahoma City in the last 12 days (comprising a majority of the Thunder’s five losses overall this year). He also has an intensifying rivalry with his seven-foot counterpart Holmgren, one that began back when they were both still rookies.

Jaylen Brown takes a profane shot at the Knicks

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Jaylen Brown does not want to hear anything about his team’s Atlantic Division rivals.

The Boston Celtics star Brown was streaming live from his Twitch page this week. During the stream, a fan left a comment about the New York Knicks, possibly in the hopes of getting a reaction from Brown.

Brown indeed gave that reaction, responding with a profane shot at the Knicks. “F–k the Knicks. You feel me?” said the former Finals MVP.

Here is the video (but obviously watch out for the bad language).

On top of being division rivals, the Knicks and the Celtics also met in last year’s Eastern Conference semifinals. The Knicks prevailed in that series after six games, so it is perfectly understandable that Brown does not want anything to do with them right now.

As for this season, the Knicks and the Celtics have met twice already and have split those two meetings. They are not scheduled to face off again until Feb. 8 at TD Garden in Boston, Mass., but Brown may very much be looking forward to it already. He clearly hates all division rivals and also recently had to clarify some shady comments that he made about a Toronto Raptors player.

Jimmy Butler has message for All-Star voters

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Usually when athletes address the voters of awards, it’s to ask for their support. That was not at all the case with Jimmy Butler this week.

Butler posted a comment on the Instagram page for the Golden State Warriors telling fans not to vote for him for the All-Star Game. Butler instead said he preferred to go on a vacation.

“Don’t vote for me guys,” Butler wrote in his comment. “instead (sic) somebody create a gofundme to send me to Barbados. Thanks in advance. GO WARRIORS.”

Butler is a six-time All-Star but hasn’t made the team since the 2021-2022 season. He apparently wants to keep the streak of absences going.

Butler is averaging 19.9 points, 5.5 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 1.5 steals per game this season, which is his first full season with Golden State. He has played in 26 of the Warriors’ 30 games. The Warriors are 15-15, which has them eighth in the West. They are not having a great season, and Butler seemed unlikely to make the All-Star team anyway, but he made it clear that fans shouldn’t waste a vote on him.

Warriors head coach Steve Kerr has also made clear that part of the reason for Butler’s production being down has to do with the coaching.

“We’ve had a few moments during the season, but we’re not able to consistently put the ball in Jimmy’s hands and let him control games like we did at the end of last year,” Kerr said after a recent game. “We’ve got to find a way, as a staff and as players, to make sure we’re playing through Jimmy and getting the game under control.”

Athletics hand out the largest guaranteed contract in franchise history

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The Athletics have stunningly decided to back up the Brinks truck.

Outfielder Tyler Soderstrom has agreed to a seven-year, $86 million contract extension with the Athletics, Jeff Passan of ESPN reported on Thursday. That marks the largest guarantee in Athletics franchise history.

Passan adds that Soderstrom’s new contract comes with an eighth-year club option. It also reportedly contains escalators that max out the contract at a whopping $131 million.

The lefty-hitting Soderstrom, 24, broke out in his third career season last year. He hit .276 with 25 home runs and 93 RBIs through 158 games. Soderstrom’s 4.3 WAR figure last season also ranked second on the Athletics to Nick Kurtz at 5.4.

On top of playing in the outfield, Soderstrom made 49 total appearances for the Athletics at first base in 2025. Now the team is buying out all of his arbitration years and putting him under contract through 2033 as a true foundational piece for their franchise.

While the Athletics are infamously one of the cheapest franchises in Major League Baseball, they have spent heavily in free agency over the last couple of winters (also inking pitcher Luis Severino to a $67 million deal in 2024). Though the Athletics inked 25-year-old Lawrence Butler to a similar extension earlier this year as well, there may be a less noble reason for all their spending of late.

Deebo Samuel takes a Cowboys defender’s helmet off with ruthless trucking

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Grandma may have gotten run over by a reindeer, but Donovan Wilson just got run over by Deebo Samuel.

The Washington Commanders receiver Samuel went viral during Thursday’s Christmas Day game against Wilson and the Dallas Cowboys. In the first quarter at Northwest Stadium in Landover, Md., Samuel got open for a screen pass off a 1st-and-10 play.

Samuel then proceeded to turn on the jets and run for a big gain. He picked up 41 yards on the play and puncutated things with an emphatic bulldozer move on the Cowboys safety Wilson.

As Wilson ran in to try to make the tackle, Samuel completely trucked him, taking off Wilson’s helmet in the process. Here is the video.

Take a look at another angle.

The Commanders would end up getting a field goal out of the play after Samuel’s big run. But the Cowboys went on to score two touchdowns unanswered from there and eventually took a 24-10 lead into halftime.

As for the former All-Pro Samuel, he has had a somewhat underwhelming first season in Washington, but dynamic plays like those in the open field are what he has become known for throughout his career. That had to be the most cold-blooded trucking we have seen in the NFL since Patrick Mahomes’ one from last season.

Charles Barkley sends a savage message to Draymond Green on Christmas

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Charles Barkley certainly made the most of the first “Inside the NBA” airing in several weeks.

The basketball icon Barkley went viral on Thursday’s Christmas Day for the ruthless message that he sent to Golden State Warriors star Draymond Green. During ESPN’s broadcast of “Inside the NBA” before the day’s slate of Christmas games began, Green appeared remotely to ham it up with the crew.

With seconds of Green’s appearance, Barkley let one loose at his expense. “We’re going to have you back here once the playoffs start,” Barkley joked.

Here is the video.

Green and the Warriors are just 15-15 this season, which ranks eighth in the Western Conference (just 3.5 games away from falling out of the play-in tournament zone altogether). Clearly, Barkley does not feel confident in Golden State’s chances of making the playoffs this year.

The former Defensive Player of the Year Green also recently made headlines over an incident he had with Warriors head coach Steve Kerr during a game earlier this week. If Green and the Warriors do not get their act together soon, they may indeed have to resort to making media appearances once the postseason rolls around.

Brock Purdy responds to idea of defying Kyle Shanahan

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The San Francisco 49ers are showing that their offense is ready in time for the NFL playoffs, with quarterback Brock Purdy heating up. 

In the Niners’ most recent outing, Purdy sliced through the Indianapolis Colts’ defense for 295 passing yards and 5 touchdowns against just an interception in a 48-27 win at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Ind., in Week 16’s edition of “Monday Night Football.”

There was a minor issue that Purdy had to deal with in the middle of that contest involving his headset, but it did not affect his overall performance.

Jumping off from that topic, Sports Illustrated’s Grant Cohn asked Purdy during Wednesday’s availability whether he had ever considered going rogue after receiving a play call from 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan.

“No. No, I do not,” Purdy responded, as heard in a video shared by Matt Lively of CBS Sports Bay Area. “Kyle has great play calls. No, Grant.”

From being a last pick in the 2022 NFL Draft to becoming a Pro Bowl quarterback for a Super Bowl contender, Purdy has come a long way, and it has a lot to do with how he’s been handled by Shanahan and the 49ers coaching staff. 

Sure, he’ll always listen to Shanahan, but he’s also experienced, talented and cerebral enough to make decisions on his own when he sees fit.

On a five-game winning streak and with still the chance to earn the top seed in the NFC, the Niners will look to keep it going when they take on the Chicago Bears at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., in Week 17.

Luka Doncic gets status update for Lakers-Rockets game

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The Los Angeles Lakers played without Luka Doncic on Tuesday against the Phoenix Suns, and it showed in the final score. With the Slovenian superstar sidelined with a leg injury, the Lakers suffered a 132-108 loss to the Suns at Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix, Ariz.

But the Lakers’ longing for the former NBA scoring champion may soon end, as he is expected to return to action for Thursday’s Christmas Day showdown against the visiting Houston Rockets at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, Calif., according to Shams Charania of ESPN. His comeback will also have a bit of a promotional twist.

“He will return to the lineup and debut his new signature shoe on Thursday,” Charania said of Doncic.

Charania was referring to Doncic’s fifth signature shoe with the Jordan Brand, which was teased in a social media post on Tuesday.

The five-time NBA All-Star sustained the injury in the first half of Monday’s 103-88 Lakers loss at the hands of Kawhi Leonard and the Los Angeles Clippers at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, Calif., leaving the soon-to-be 41-year-old LeBron James carrying most of LA’s load on offense. 

With James in the lineup, Doncic returning, and Austin Reaves healthy again, the Lakers will have their dangerous triumvirate all set to go against the struggling Rockets, who are also on a two-game losing streak. 

So far in the 2025-26 NBA season, Doncic is averaging a team-best 34.1 points per game with a 45.8% shooting from the field.

LeBron James excitedly reveals offseason plan

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LeBron James is already thinking of the offseason.

As the Los Angeles Lakers and the rest of the NBA took a break on Wednesday, the future Basketball Hall of Famer shared a plan he’s looking forward to once the 2025-26 NBA season is over, and it involves his new passion – golf.

In an Instagram Story post, the four-time NBA Most Valuable Player expressed his excitement over the prospect of teeing up at the “Teeth of the Dog,” a golf course located at Casa de Campo Resort in La Romana, Dominican Republic.

“Will be one of my first stops i take off-season! Can’t wait! Welcome back🦷 of the 🐶!😁🏌️‍♂️,” James wrote.

As invincible as James has appeared as an NBA player for over two decades, his time in the league is winding down. But golf presents an opportunity for him to get his competitive juices flowing even after his playing career ends.

Then again, that’s more in the future. Right now, James has a job to do with the Lakers, who are on a two-game slump and will look to snap that losing skid in a Christmas Day showdown against the Houston Rockets on Thursday at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, Calif.

Maxx Crosby goes on unfiltered rant about Giants-Raiders game

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What happens when a stoppable object meets a movable force on the football field? That can be answered on Sunday, when two of the worst teams in the 2025 NFL season collide at Allegiant Stadium in Paradise, Nev., as the 2-13 Las Vegas Raiders host the 2-13 New York Giants.

Both teams are obviously out of the running for a ticket to the NFL playoffs, but this upcoming showdown has some intriguing flavor to it, particularly because it could decide which team gets the right to pick first in the 2026 NFL Draft.

But as far as Raiders star defensive end Maxx Crosby is concerned, his sole focus is on hunting down Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart in the backfield and doing everything he can to help Las Vegas win, even if a victory likely costs the team a shot at the No. 1 pick.

“Yeah, I don’t give a s–t about the pick, to be honest,” Crosby can be heard telling reporters in a video shared by Vegas Sports Today. “I don’t play for that, that’s not my job. My job is to be the best defensive end in the world and that’s what I focus on every day and being a great leader and influence and being that guy on a consistent basis for my team.”

The Raiders and the Giants each have holes to address in the offseason, but Las Vegas may benefit more from holding the top pick. 

Unlike New York, which appears to have found a young quarterback in Dart, around whom it could build the team, the Raiders have Geno Smith, whom Las Vegas fans can’t wait for their team to get rid of.

Video emerges of Dillon Brooks’ troll move targeting LeBron James

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There really is no stopping Phoenix Suns forward Dillon Brooks from trying every trick he can to get under the skin of Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James.

In one of his latest shenanigans aimed at the four-time NBA Most Valuable Player, Brooks appeared to give James a high-five after a free throw during Tuesday’s meeting between the Lakers and the Suns at Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix, Ariz.

That’ a normal gesture between teammates, but Brooks and James play for different teams. James seemed to realize Brooks was back to trolling him again, giving the former Oregon Ducks star a stare, only for Brooks to return the favor by staring back at James.

You can check out that interaction here:

Brooks has proven over and over that he’s not one to back down from James. The two have a long history of enmity on and off the court, dating back to Brooks’ time with the Memphis Grizzlies, with Brooks usually the instigator. Now with the Suns, Brooks has gotten more opportunities to irritate “The King,” as Phoenix and Los Angeles play in the same division.

Brooks won this round, though, as the Suns came away with a 132-108 victory over James and the Lakers. He even led Phoenix with 25 points on 10-for-15 shooting from the field, while James paced Los Angeles with 23 points on 7-for-14 shooting.

Hawaii shatters Cal’s bowl dreams in unexpected ending

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On a day when many were craving sports action, the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors provided the fireworks in dramatic fashion, as they stunned the California Golden Bears in a come-from-behind 35-31 Sheraton Hawaiʻi Bowl win at Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex in Honolulu, Hawaii, on Wednesday.

Hawaii battled back from a 21-point deficit to secure the win, capping it off with a go-ahead touchdown pass in the final seconds from an unlikely hero, backup quarterback Luke Weaver.

Rainbow Warriors starting quarterback Micah Alejado had to give way to Weaver late in regulation after absorbing a hit, and his backup rose to the occasion.

On a 1st-and-10 at the Golden Bears’ 22, Weaver connected with wide receiver Nick Cenacle for a 22-yard touchdown that gave Hawaii the lead with 10 seconds left in regulation.

Here iss how the entire sequence unfolded:

Although the Golden Bears got the ball back, they ultimately failed to pull off a miracle of their own, as Hawaii celebrated its first bowl win since 2020, and first under head coach Timmy Chang.

The Rainbow Warriors seemed headed for disaster when Cal built a massive first-half lead, but Hawaii surged back, with Alejado throwing 3 touchdown passes amid the spirited comeback. Fortunately for Hawaii, Alejado’s big performance didn’t go for naught, as Weaver stepped up for a game-changing moment no one saw coming.

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