Larry Brown Sports

Brown Bag it, Baby

Blog

Trevor Plouffe compares 1 Braves player to an orange

by
LinkedInRedditThreadsWhatsApp

The fruit-to-MLB player comparisons are not seen very often, but former MLB player Trevor Plouffe made sure to get into that action.

During an episode of “Talkin’ Baseball,” Plouffe discussed his favorite fruits, but then said Atlanta Braves first baseman Matt Olson is like a navel orange.

“Matt Olson has now played in 792 games in a row,” Plouffe said. “Matt Olson, to me, is like a navel orange. There might be some other fruits, like a Corey Seager, who might hit better. But overall, I’m taking Matt Olson over Corey Seager because he’s available to play.”

PLouffe then said Olson is “so juicy” and available.

Since the start of the 2022 season, Olson has played in every single regular-season game.

He came to the Braves in 2023, and he had 54 home runs with 139 RBIs that season, which were career-highs in both categories.

Olson then had 29 home runs in each of the past two seasons, and he has been a steady presence in the lineup for Atlanta daily.

While Olson might not be producing like the Aaron Judge’s of the world, Plouffe credits the fact that Olson is consistent.

Nonetheless, it’s quite the comparison for Olson.

1 key Blue Jays player is set to undergo surgery

by
LinkedInRedditThreadsWhatsApp

The Toronto Blue Jays started off April with four losses on the road against the Chicago White Sox.

Now, the Blue Jays are set to be without starting catcher Alejandro Kirk for the foreseeable future. Kirk suffered an injury in Friday’s 5-4 loss to the White Sox at Guaranteed Rate Field in Chicago, Ill. On Monday, Blue Jays manager John Schneider revealed that Kirk will undergo thumb surgery on Tuesday and his return is up in the air.

Kirk was signed by the Blue Jays in 2016 at the age of 18, and he has become a key part of their everyday lineup.

Kirk played in 130 games last season as the primary catcher, and he hit .282 with 15 home runs and 76 RBIs in a career-best campaign. Before the 2025 season began, the Blue Jays gave Kirk a well-deserved five-year, $58 million extension as well.

Tyler Heineman replaced Kirk on Friday and got the start on Saturday, but Brandon Valenzuela started on Sunday at catcher, so it will be interesting to see what Schneider does with Kirk on the shelf.

The Blue Jays also saw starting pitcher Cody Ponce suffer an injury, so it hasn’t been a promising start to the year after the World Series run in 2025.

Giannis Antetokounmpo has made a clear statement to the Bucks

by
LinkedInRedditThreadsWhatsApp

Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks remain at odds over whether he should be shut down for the season, and Antetokounmpo is attempting to lay down the law behind the scenes.

ESPN’s Shams Charania appeared on “NBA Today” Monday and revealed that Antetokounmpo is still trying to ramp up in order to play before the end of the season. The star forward’s goal is to be able to play at least one game with brothers Alex and Thanasis. He mentioned Friday’s home finale against the Brooklyn Nets as a game Antetokounmpo could target to play in.

“Giannis is trying to ramp up this week, from my understanding,” Charania said. “He wants to play with his brothers before the regular season ends. He’s making very clear behind the scenes that’s his goal.”

Friday’s game might be an awkward choice, since it’s against the tanking Nets. Of course, the Bucks will not be able to catch Brooklyn in the loss column, but they will want to lock in as high a lottery position as possible. That is at the core of Antetokounmpo’s dispute with the Bucks, even if no one can admit it publicly. It isn’t clear whether a late-season return would help or hurt the Bucks in terms of the outcome of the NBA’s investigation into the team, either.

Giannis has made it clear publicly that he wants to play with his brothers at least once. The question at this point seems to be if the Bucks will allow it to happen.

Coach K has savage response to North Carolina’s coach hire

by
LinkedInRedditThreadsWhatsApp

If Mike Krzyzewski is worried about rival North Carolina’s new head coach, he certainly isn’t showing it.

Coach K was a guest on “The Pat McAfee Show” Monday when news broke that the Tar Heels were hiring former NBA champion Michael Malone as their new head coach. The former Duke coach wasted no time sharing his reaction, and he did so by invoking Tar Heels football coach Bill Belichick.

“They had an NFL champion hired as the coach and Duke beat Carolina in football this year,” Krzyzewski said. “That doesn’t mean Coach Belichick isn’t a great coach, but there is time for adjustments. I’ve said it takes longer adjusting from the pros to college.”

Belichick is the perfect example for why hires like this do not guarantee immediate success. He is the most accomplished NFL coach ever, but went just 4-8 in his first season at North Carolina. Similarly, numerous coaches who were very successful at the college level have failed in the NBA.

Malone will be expected to bring immediate success for North Carolina. Count Coach K among those who thinks the program might have to wait a little while to get what it wants.

Dan Orlovsky got hammered for his bad Lamar Jackson take

by
LinkedInRedditThreadsWhatsApp

ESPN’s Dan Orlovsky offered up a Lamar Jackson take on Monday that aged terribly almost immediately.

Orlovsky appeared on ESPN’s “First Take” Monday to discuss the importance of Jackson attending the Ravens’ first voluntary offseason workout. Orlovsky felt that Jackson needed to be there since the team has a new coaching staff, but was under the impression the quarterback was going to skip them.

“I’m not going to overreact to him not being there,” Orlovsky said of Jackson. “Maybe he gets there in the next day or two, but it certainly sounds like that’s not going to be the case.”

Less than an hour later, the Ravens posted a video of Jackson arriving for workouts on their social media accounts.

Orlovsky never addressed his comments, and ESPN quietly removed the video of the segment from their social media as if it never happened.

Orlovsky has a history with Jackson that has fueled the perception that the ESPN analyst is biased against the Ravens quarterback. He infamously voted against Jackson for MVP in 2025 despite giving him an All-Pro vote, and has been called out for favoring Josh Allen over Jackson.

If Orlovsky was going off history, he was not necessarily wrong to think Jackson would be a no-show. The quarterback skipped eight of a possible nine voluntary workouts last season.

Bulls make major decision on top executive Arturas Karnisovas

by
LinkedInRedditThreadsWhatsApp

The Chicago Bulls are making sweeping changes to their front office at the end of another disappointing season.

The Bulls announced Monday that executive vice president Arturas Karnisovas and general manager Marc Eversley have been fired after six seasons.

In a statement, Bulls president Michael Reinsdorf said the team had “not had the success our fans deserve,” and assured Bulls fans that “I hear you and understand your frustration.”

Since hiring Karnisovas in 2020, the Bulls have had just one winning season and made the playoffs only once. The roster has been largely overhauled, but results have been the same, with Karnisovas openly admitting one point that the team he put together has not worked out.

This will raise questions about the future of head coach Billy Donovan. There were reports that he might walk away from the job if Karnisovas remained with the team, so this might actually make it more likely that Donovan stays with the Bulls going forward.

The Bulls have already been eliminated from playoff contention for this season with a 29-49 record.

Michael Malone’s daughter emerges as key reason for his North Carolina move

by
LinkedInRedditThreadsWhatsApp

Michael Malone’s shocking decision to take the North Carolina Tar Heels head coach job may be partially explained by his daughter.

North Carolina caught the basketball world by surprise when they hired Malone on Tuesday as their new head coach. Several people were quick to point out that he has a family connection with the school: his daughter, Bridget, is a sophomore volleyball player for the Tar Heels.

Bridget Malone committed to North Carolina all the way back in 2023. Presumably, her father would have been quite familiar with the school’s athletics program from that process.

Malone almost certainly could have waited for the NBA offseason and pursued a job at that level, and he would have been a top candidate for every opening. The Tar Heels, however, seemingly offered him the opportunity to continue coaching basketball while also being close to his family.

Bennett Durando of the Denver Post noted that Malone even skipped an NBA Cup game with the Nuggets just to watch Bridget compete in the state tournament.

The interest had to be mutual, of course, but the Tar Heels were evidently impressed enough by Malone’s resume to make him the hire. Much was made about the school going outside the “family” and hiring someone with no ties to the school, and on the surface, they did that. It turns out, however, there is at least some family connection there after all.

North Carolina makes unexpected decision on its next head coach

by
LinkedInRedditThreadsWhatsApp

The North Carolina Tar Heels have decided on their new head coach, and it is not a choice many saw coming.

The Tar Heels plan to hire former Denver Nuggets coach Michael Malone to replace Hubert Davis, according to Pete Thamel of ESPN. Malone has most recently served as an NBA analyst for ESPN.

Malone was not on anyone’s radar as a potential option for the Tar Heels. He worked as a collegiate assistant from 1994 to 2001, but all of his head coaching jobs have come at the NBA level. While it is no shock he is returning to coaching, the widespread expectation had been that it would be at the NBA level.

On the other hand, Malone has a track record of success. He is 510-394 as an NBA head coach and won the NBA title with the Nuggets in 2023. Denver unexpectedly fired him last year amid reports that he was clashing behind the scenes with other members of the organization.

The Tar Heels are presumably hoping Malone will be able to attract NBA-level talent and draw players in with the strength of his resume. That strategy has not necessarily worked well on the football side, but the Tar Heels are betting on reputation and experience.

North Carolina had targeted the likes of Dusty May of Michigan and Tommy Lloyd of Arizona, but both opted to remain with their current programs. A different NBA head coach had also been strongly linked to the job.

Giants All-Pro has asked for a trade

by
LinkedInRedditThreadsWhatsApp

A key member of the New York Giants has asked the team for a trade after a breakdown in contract negotiations.

Defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence has requested a trade and will not report for the team’s offseason program on Tuesday, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The request comes after two offseasons of unsuccessful haggling over a new deal.

Lawrence has firmly established himself as one of the game’s best defensive tackles. The 28-year-old has been selected to three Pro Bowls and twice named second-team All-Pro. While he is coming off something of a down year, he is still seen as the anchor of the Giants’ defensive line.

Lawrence is due to make $20 million in 2026 and signed a contract extension three years ago. The defensive tackle market has reset itself since then, particularly after Chris Jones signed a 5-year extension worth nearly $160 million with the Kansas City Chiefs.

The Giants’ defensive line is really in flux right now, with some other players potentially being on the move. They would not want to trade Lawrence, but it seems they will have to either move him or pay him.

Angel Reese has been traded by the Chicago Sky

by
LinkedInRedditThreadsWhatsApp

Angel Reese has been traded by the Chicago Sky in a blockbuster deal.

The Sky traded Reese to the Atlanta Dream on Monday. The Dream confirmed the deal on social media, as did Reese herself.

Kendra Andrews of ESPN reported the Dream are sending two first-round picks to Chicago in exchange for Reese.

Reese’s relationship with the Sky had soured over the past year after she made some explosive comments about the team’s struggles and the need for change going forward. Those comments did not sit well with the organization or her teammates, and probably helped seal her fate with the franchise. It is hardly a coincidence that trade rumors started shortly after that.

The trade sends Reese to a legitimate playoff team. The Dream went 30-14 last season, but fell to the Indiana Fever in the first round of the playoffs.

Reese has emerged as a strong interior presence during her first two WNBA seasons. She has averaged 14.1 points and 12.9 rebounds per game and made the All-Star game in both seasons. However, the team has not had much success during her time there, and she has drawn critics for perceived stat-padding during her time with the Sky.

Dan Hurley bluntly addresses rumors linking him to North Carolina

by
LinkedInRedditThreadsWhatsApp

Dan Hurley has no plans of leaving his job with the UConn Huskies to coach the North Carolina Tar Heels.

Before the No. 1 seed Huskies take on fellow No. 1 seed Michigan Wolverines in the NCAA Tournament championship game on Monday at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Ind., Hurley tried to set the record straight about his level of desire on the Tar Heels’ coaching opening.

“I’m the UConn coach until the end, and maybe the NBA someday down the line. But yeah, I’m the UConn coach,” Hurley told Jeff Goodman of The Field of 68.

The Tar Heels fired Hubert Davis shortly after the blue-blood college basketball program suffered an embarrassing meltdown in a loss to the VCU Rams in the first round of the Big Dance. Since then, several names have been rumored as Davis’ potential successor, including Hurley.

Hearing Hurley’s name in rumors linking him to the Tar Heels’ job isn’t surprising, given the success he’s been having with the Huskies. Based on his resume alone, several programs would want him to run their programs.

He has guided UConn to back-to-back national titles in 2023 and 2024, and he is just a win on Monday away from becoming a three-time NCAA champion head coach.

If Hurley leaves UConn, it’s probably going to be for a gig in the NBA, though it’s worth noting that he previously turned down a job to coach the Los Angeles Lakers.

Travis Kelce’s tweet gets an unexpected response from NASA nearly 16 years later

by
LinkedInRedditThreadsWhatsApp

Long before he captured Taylor Swift’s heart, Kansas City Chiefs superstar tight end Travis Kelce had one of those nights when he looked up at the sky and admired the cosmos — particularly Earth’s lunar friend.

“The moon looks crazy tonight… Imma chill out here for a little and just visualize my success n vibe to the scenary,” Kelce tweeted back in August of 2010.

Nearly two decades later, NASA unearthed Kelce’s tweet and responded to it amid the hype surrounding the Artemis II mission.

“It’s been a long time coming,” NASA responded on Sunday to Kelce’s old post.

What some might have missed about NASA’s response was the space agency’s savvy reference to one of Swift’s songs.

Swift used to begin each performance during her “Eras Tour” with the line “It’s been a long time coming,” which is apparently a lyric taken from her song “Miss Americana & The Heartbreak Prince.”

Given the breadth of Taylor Swift’s canon, NASA has plenty of lyrics from her works to choose from if the world’s premier space agency wants to continue referencing her songs to describe space or have wholesome fun with people on the internet.

As for Kelce, he can add to the success he visualizes each evening while staring at the moon, as he has decided to return for at least one more season with the Chiefs.

Dawn Staley responds to a reporter’s awkward USC-South Carolina mix-up

by
LinkedInRedditThreadsWhatsApp

Dawn Staley faced the media following the South Carolina Gamecocks’ 79-51 loss to the UCLA Bruins in the national championship game on Sunday, and one of the several questions she fielded came straight out of the land of confusion.

While doing her postgame press conference duties at Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix, Ariz., Staley was asked about her level of excitement for having Saniyah Hall on her team next season.

It seemed like an ordinary question, but the reporter was asking the wrong person.

Hall committed to the USC Trojans, not South Carolina, which the reporter seemed to confuse with USC.

The reporter later backtracked upon realizing her mistake.

“Did something come over the transfer portal? That’s USC,” the 55-year-old Staley said, as the reporter apologized for her blunder.

You can watch the exchange here.

Considering the loss the Gamecocks just suffered, Staley could have reacted to the question in a less friendly manner, but she handled it quite well.

South Carolina fell just a win short of winning the NCAA title for the second year in a row, and the Gamecocks will try to make another deep run and get the job done next season — without Hall in the lineup, of course.

Video: Donovan Mitchell drops two defenders at the same time with a wild crossover

by
LinkedInRedditThreadsWhatsApp

Donovan Mitchell’s crossover claimed two victims at the same time.

During the third quarter of Sunday night’s game between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Indiana Pacers at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio, Mitchell pulled back and found himself facing the defense of Micah Potter. The Cavs guard then tried to make his move to the basket as Potter fell to the ground along with his teammate, Kobe Brown.

To top it all, Mitchell finished the sequence with a made floater, sending Cavs fans inside the building into a frenzy.

You can watch the play here.

Mitchell is one of the hardest players in the league to guard one-on-one for several reasons. His ball-handling skills, quickness, and athleticism make him extremely difficult to contain, as Potter and Brown can attest.

The seven-time NBA All-Star Mitchell had an ankle situation himself in the fourth quarter of the game, as he tweaked it toward the end of the contest. However, he said he was fine (via Danny Cunningham of Locked on Cavs) shortly after the game in which he led the Cavaliers with 38 points on 16-for-27 shooting from the field, along with 6 rebounds, 6 assists, and 1 steal in 33 minutes in a 117-108 victory.

Mitchell and the Cavs now sport a 49-29 record, just a game behind the New York Knicks for the No. 3 spot in the Eastern Conference standings.

Draymond Green was visibly irate with Brandin Podziemski after Warriors-Rockets game

by
LinkedInRedditThreadsWhatsApp

The Golden State Warriors got a major boost on Sunday, with two-time NBA Most Valuable Player Stephen Curry returning to action after a 27-game absence.

But Curry’s night against the Houston Rockets at Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., did not have the ideal ending for the Warriors, as he missed a potential game-winning attempt from deep as time expired in the fourth quarter, resulting in a 117-116 Golden State loss.

Right after Curry’s miss, Draymond Green showed his frustration with teammate Brandin Podziemski over a misunderstanding on the final play.

Green wanted Podziemski to come closer to the ball to get Curry a more favorable matchup on a switch. But Podziemski stayed on the left side for the entire sequence, idly waiting for Curry to either shoot or pass him the ball.

Curry was unable to get a great look at the basket, with Jabari Smith Jr.’s long arms bothering him and Amen Thompson helping out.

Green and Podziemski can talk over improving late-game execution and communication, as the Warriors prepare for the Play-in Tournament.

The loss to Houston was Golden State’s fourth in a row, as Curry’s remarkable performance in his first game back from a knee injury went for naught. He came off the bench and fired 29 points on 11/21 shooting with five 3-pointers for the Warriors, who dropped to 36-42 overall and 21-18 at home.

Jason Kidd shares his honest opinion on Luka Doncic’s situation

by
LinkedInRedditThreadsWhatsApp

Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd is among the latest to voice his opinion on the NBA’s 65-game rule as it relates to Luka Doncic’s situation.

Doncic is ineligible for major postseason awards, as he’s been ruled out for the remainder of the 2025-26 NBA regular season with just 64 games played. The NBA requires players to play in at least 65 games to be eligible for the awards.

Doncic suffered a hamstring injury in his 64th game, against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Okla.

Following the Mavs’ 134-128 win over Los Angeles on Sunday at American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas, Kidd weighed in on the NBA’s polarizing policy. 

“It’s unfortunate. Not just for Luka, but there’s others in that same situation,” Kidd told reporters following the game against the Lakers, via Noah Weber of The Smoking Cuban.

“Again, Luka is having an MVP season, he was playing at a very, very high level, and for him to get hurt and not to be rewarded for that season, is unfortunate. So hopefully, the NBA will look at these cases and hopefully find a way to make sure that guys don’t get left off the list.”

Before Doncic hurt his hamstring, there was no doubt that he was among the best players in the Association this season. He just had a spectacular March, averaging 37.5 points on 49.2% shooting over 16 games. The former NBA scoring champion was on track to make an All-NBA team and be among the top considerations for the 2026 NBA MVP award.  

Those are no longer on the table for Doncic, but what likely hurts him more is his inability to help the Lakers on the court due to his injury.

There is no definite timeline on Doncic’s return, but many expect him to miss at least the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs. 

LeBron James shares his honest reaction to Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves injuries

by
LinkedInRedditThreadsWhatsApp

LeBron James embodied every Los Angeles Lakers fan when he found out he was going to carry the team’s offense by himself.

The Lakers veteran went from third option to first option in a matter of days over the weekend. First, Luka Doncic was diagnosed with a serious hamstring injury on Friday expected to keep him out indefinitely. Less than 24 hours later, Reaves was ruled out for at least a month with a grade 2 oblique injury.

James had an exasperated reaction to the news, just like every Purple and Gold fan who received the updates on social media.

“It was a shot to the heart, obviously, and the chest and the mainframe with Luka, we got that news kind of quick. [Austin Reaves] was dealing with the pain, we knew he was going to get an MRI.”

“Woke up from my nap yesterday, saw that news, and was like, ‘S–t,’” James told reporters.

James turned back the clock on Sunday against the Dallas Mavericks, posting a usage rate akin to his days with the Cleveland Cavaliers. He scored 30 points on 12/22 shooting to go along with a season-high 15 assists to orchestrate the Lakers’ offense during their road contest at American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas.

Role players Rui Hachimura and Jaxson Hayes combined for 44 points with LeBron as the floor general. But it wasn’t enough in a 134-128 loss to the Mavericks.

Even at 41 years old, James can still put up numbers with the best of them. For how long he can do it without breaking down himself is the bigger question.

Report reveals Dusty May’s plans amid North Carolina rumors

by
LinkedInRedditThreadsWhatsApp

Dusty May is not expected to leave Ann Arbor anytime soon.

The Michigan head coach was among the high-profile names tied to North Carolina amid the Tar Heels’ search for their program’s next head coach. But according to ESPN’s Pete Thamel, May has informed Michigan officials that he is “not pursuing any college basketball jobs.” May wants to continue to coach the Wolverines.

Per the report, North Carolina’s interest in May never took the next step because Michigan advanced all the way to the national title game.

May is just in his second season as Michigan’s head coach after taking over for Juwan Howard in 2024. He enters Monday’s national championship game with a 63-13 record (82.9% win rate) in his two years calling plays for the Wolverines.

The 49-year-old head coach drew national attention after leading Florida Atlantic to back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances in 2023 and 2024.

May potentially going from coaching Florida Atlantic to North Carolina within the span of three seasons would have been one of the fastest rises in NCAA hoops history. But he clearly believes he still has something to prove at Michigan.

1 notable coach emerges as Doc Rivers’ possible replacement on Bucks

by
LinkedInRedditThreadsWhatsApp

The Milwaukee Bucks may already have their succession plan in place for Doc Rivers.

Former Memphis Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins has surfaced as the “likely prime candidate” for the Bucks’ coaching job if they decide to fire their current coach Rivers, veteran NBA writer Marc Stein reported to Substack on Sunday. Stein further notes that there is indeed growing anticipation that Rivers and the Bucks may be headed for “some sort of parting or job restructuring” after the season.

Rivers, 64, has been the head coach of the Bucks since 2024 but now holds an overall losing record in Milwaukee of 95-100 (.487) with zero playoff series victories. He is also currently presiding over a nightmare season in which the Bucks have gone 31-47, guaranteeing a bottom-five finish in the Eastern Conference.

For roughly a month now, we have heard that Rivers could be on the outs in Milwaukee. Then earlier this week, a report emerged claiming that Rivers has now supposedly lost the confidence of his players.

As for Jenkins, 41, he served as head coach of the Grizzlies from 2019-25. Prior to that, he actually spent one season an assistant coach for the Bucks in 2018-19.

In Memphis, Jenkins helped turn a young, rebuilding team into a perennial Western Conference threat (though he did only have one playoff series victory with the Grizzlies to show for it). For a Bucks team that is likely headed into a young, rebuilding phase of their own with an expected trade of Giannis Antetokounmpo this summer, Jenkins may be just the man for the job (assuming Milwaukee does not promote this in-house option instead).

81-year-old Dodgers fan fuming over team’s latest policy change

by
LinkedInRedditThreadsWhatsApp

The Los Angeles Dodgers are at odds with one of their most loyal fans.

81-year-old Dodgers season ticket holder Errol Segal is beefing with his beloved team after he received a notice for this season that he would no longer get printed tickets. The team was going fully digital for tickets to season ticket holders beginning this year.

The problem is that Segal, who has been a season ticket holder for 50 years, “doesn’t know how to use a computer” and only owns an old flip phone that cannot store virtual tickets.

What stung even more for Segal was that he was given physical tickets when he tried to purchase tickets in person at the Dodger Stadium ticketing booth.

“They can print them. They just don’t want to print them for me. … 50 years, five generations, 50 years and they threw me under the bus,” Segal told NBC Los Angeles.

Season ticket holders spend thousands of dollars on tickets every year. The least the Dodgers or any franchise, for that matter, could do is give them the option to receive physical tickets, even just as a memento. And if not, the Dodgers could’ve at least rewarded Segal’s longtime dedication by grandfathering him in under the new policy.

  • Read more stories

Football

College Football

Basketball

Baseball

Media

Headlines

  • i want more great stories!

Sign up today for free and get the best sports content sent to your inbox.

You can unsubscribe anytime. For more details, review our Privacy Policy.

.
LBS iPhone App
Get the App

Get instantly notified of the most viral news stories via Google!