Jan 30, 2019; Atlanta, GA, USA; Reggie Bush at NFL Network press conference at Georgia World Congress Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Reggie Bush has been fighting for years to get his Heisman Trophy back, and it is finally happening.
The Heisman Trust is expected to announce on Wednesday that Bush’s 2005 Heisman Trophy has been reinstated, according to ESPN’s Pete Thamel. The decision was made in large part because of the “enormous changes in the college football landscape.”
Bush will have his Heisman Trophy returned and a replica will be given to USC. The former running back will once again be invited to all future Heisman Trophy ceremonies beginning next season.
“Personally, I’m thrilled to reunite with my fellow Heisman winners and be a part of the storied legacy of the Heisman Trophy, and I’m honored to return to the Heisman family,” Bush said in a statement to ESPN. “I also look forward to working together with the Heisman Trust to advance the values and mission of the organization.”
Bush had his Heisman Trophy vacated in 2010 after a lengthy investigation led to sanctions for USC. Bush and his family were found to have accepted improper benefits while Bush was in school.
With student-athletes now able to profit off of their name, image and likeness, the Heisman Trust felt it was appropriate to give Bush his trophy back.
“Recognizing that the compensation of student athletes is an accepted practice and appears here to stay, these fundamental changes in college athletics led the Trust to decide that now is the right time to return the Trophy to Bush, who unquestionably was the most outstanding college football player of 2005,” the Heisman Trophy Trust said said in a statement.
USC also vacated its 2004 national title and was stripped of 14 total victories from games that Bush played in.
Bush is widely considered to be one of the best college football players in history. He rushed for 1,740 yards on 200 carries (an average of 8.7 yards per carry) and scored 16 rushing touchdowns in 2005. He also had 37 catches for 478 yards and 2 touchdowns.
Bush played 11 seasons in the NFL after the New Orleans Saints drafted him with the No. 2 overall pick in 2006. Now that he has his Heisman Trophy back, the tension between him and the NCAA will likely cool considerably.
Oct 3, 2021; Arlington, Texas, USA; Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy on the field before the game against the New York Giants at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports
Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy might be preparing to become a free agent.
McCarthy has hired prominent agent Don Yee to represent him, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Yee’s other clients include Jim Harbaugh, Sean Payton and Tom Brady.
Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy, headed into the last year of his contract, has hired agent Don Yee to represent him. Yee represents Jim Harbaugh, Sean Payton and Tom Brady, amongst others. pic.twitter.com/cE0tvZzYkb
The timing probably is not a coincidence. McCarthy is entering the final season of his contract with the Dallas Cowboys. It is still possible that he could sign an extension at some point, though team owner Jerry Jones reportedly has a specific reason for not giving the coach one.
The Cowboys have gone 12-5 the last three seasons under McCarthy, but they have just one playoff win during that span. A similar result in 2024 could cost McCarthy his job. Whether he ends up negotiating an extension with Dallas or a new contract with another team, McCarthy is in a spot where he could use a good agent.
Yee helped Harbaugh land a massive deal with the Los Angeles Chargers a few months ago and Sean Payton do the same with the Denver Broncos last year. The 60-year-old McCarthy is hoping to be next, whether that is in Dallas or elsewhere.
Nov 11, 2023; Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA; LSU Tigers quarterback Jayden Daniels during pregame against the Florida Gators at Tiger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports
Jayden Daniels was one of the best dual-threat quarterbacks in the country last season, and the former LSU star is hoping to showcase that same playmaking ability in the NFL. In fact, he wants to be better at it than any player before him.
During an interview with Bryan DeArdo of CBS Sports that was published on Tuesday, Daniels was asked if he views Michael Vick as the greatest running quarterback of all-time. Daniels said he might give the nod to Lamar Jackson, but he hopes to one day surpass both.
“[Vick] was the first, but I think Lamar’s got him now,” Daniels said. “I’m in the league now, so I’m trying to go past them.”
Vick has more rushing yards than any quarterback in NFL history with 6,109. Cam Newton is next with 5,628 followed by Russell Wilson with 5,307 and then Lamar Jackson with 5,258. Assuming Jackson avoids a major injury, he should surpass Vick either next season or in 2025.
Daniels rushed for 1,134 yards and 10 touchdowns at LSU last season. While he is capable of making explosive plays with his legs, that aspect of his game has also lead to some criticism. Daniels said NFL teams have told him they want him to be “smarter about the hits that I take.”
“They know I’m very competitive,” Daniels told DeArdo. “You want to think that you can beat that guy and get that extra five yards, or maybe if you beat him you go down the sideline for 60. When to get down, when to not. There’s a balance.”
The biggest concern with dual-threat quarterbacks in the NFL is staying healthy. Defenders at the pro level are much stronger and faster than they are in college, which is why quarterbacks with a “run-first” mentality often get hurt. Daniels, of course, has an excellent arm and also threw for 3,812 yards, 40 touchdowns and just 4 interceptions last season.
Barring something unexpected, we know where Daniels is going to wind up in the first round of the draft on Thursday. His style of play should translate well to the modern NFL if he can limit the number of hits he takes.
Nov 3, 2023; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton (0) in the second half against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports
Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton on Tuesday said that his brother was called the N-word during Game 1 of his team’s first-round series against the Milwaukee Bucks.
Haliburton’s Pacers outlasted the Bucks 125-108 to win Game 2 at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wis. on Tuesday.
Haliburton, a Wisconsin native, was asked during his postgame press conference what it’s been like to start his postseason career in his home state.
The 2-time All-Star said that he’s been able to spend a lot of time with his family. Halliburton said that his brother was called a racial slur during Sunday’s Game 1.
“My little brother in the stands the other day was called the N-word,” said Haliburton. “It was important for us as a family to just address that. … That didn’t sit right with anybody in my family.”
Haliburton added that his brother has “handled [the situation] the right way” since the alleged incident.
The Pacers star also acknowledged that the playoff environment has been much more hostile compared to his previous stops in Milwaukee as a visiting player.
Haliburton finished Game 2 with 12 points and 12 assists on 4/10 shooting from the field. His co-star Pascal Siakam led the way for the Pacers with 37 points and 11 rebounds in the victory.
Mar 3, 2024; Iowa City, Iowa, USA; Iowa Hawkeyes guard Caitlin Clark (22) in action against the Ohio State Buckeyes during the game at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports
Indiana Fever superstar Caitlin Clark recently incited a bidding war between the top shoe brands in sports. The price each company was reportedly willing to pay Clark seemed very much on the low side.
A report Friday from the Wall Street Journal’s Rachel Bachman revealed some specifics from Clark’s shoe deal negotiations. Clark reportedly signed an 8-year, $28 million deal with Nike. The agreement also comes with Clark’s own signature shoe.
Adidas and Under Armour had reportedly both made offers to Clark.
Adidas’ proposal was worth a measly $6 million over four years, per the Wall Street Journal. Under Armour’s deal would have paid Clark $4 million annually — higher than Nike’s $3.5 million per year — but over just four years in total.
Oct 26, 2022; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves forward Anthony Edwards (1) reacts to a call by referee Cheryl Flores in the first quarter of the game with the San Antonio Spurs at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports
What was once a laughable quote from Anthony Edwards suddenly rang true for the Minnesota Timberwolves for at least one game.
Edwards got the meme treatment last season when he infamously mentioned his teammate Jaden McDaniels in the same sentence as 14-time All-Star Kevin Durant.
“They got KD, but we’ve got Jaden McDaniels,” Edwards said during a SiriusXM Radio appearance in February 2023.
The clip was taken somewhat out of context. The Timberwolves star did not mean that McDaniels could match Durant shot-for-shot. Edwards specified during the interview that he meant McDaniels was a strong defender to throw at Durant, whom Edwards regards as his all-time favorite player.
But McDaniels lived up to the misconstrued hype in Game 2 of the 2024 first-round series between the Timberwolves and Suns at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minn.
McDaniels led all scorers with 25 points on 10/17 shooting, plus 8 rebounds and 3 assists. His point total was a playoff career-high and one point shy of his regular season best.
Several fans on X revived Edwards’ old quote under Tuesday’s very different circumstances.
NBA referee Zach Zarba pulled a questionable move on Tuesday when he dapped up Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards in the middle of a playoff game.
The Timberwolves were leading the Phoenix Suns 64-63 midway through the third quarter of their Game 2 Western Conference first-round matchup at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minn.
With the shot clock winding down, Edwards swatted a last-second layup attempt from Suns guard Bradley Beal. Cameras caught Zarba appearing to give Edwards props following the defensive play.
Even a couple of Edwards’ teammates looked a bit surprised to see Zarba extend his hand toward the All-Star. After all, the official should be completely neutral when refereeing a game and not showing bias to one player or team.
Edwards had just 9 points on 1/7 shooting from the field before making the emphatic swat. The Timberwolves star made sure to be impactful in other areas despite his shot not falling to that point.
Edwards was also responsible for the defensive stop on the Suns’ previous possession. He recorded his third steal of the game by dislodging the basketball from Suns guard Royce O’Neale.
Edwards’ block may have fired up the entire Timberwolves team. The home team went on an 8-0 run right after the defensive highlight and closed the third quarter with a 78-71 lead.
The Timberwolves rode the momentum for a 105-93 win in Game 2 to take a 2-0 series lead over the Suns.
New York Yankees slugger Juan Soto was in utter disbelief Tuesday after he struck out looking in his third at-bat against the Oakland A’s.
The Yankees led the A’s 4-3 in the bottom of the 5th inning at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, N.Y.
Soto came up to the plate with two outs and nobody on against A’s starter Paul Blackburn. The 25-year-old outfielder didn’t swing a single time during the seven-pitch at-bat. Blackburn seemingly didn’t throw a single strike based on the strike zone shown on the YES Network broadcast.
The first called strike was somewhat close. It just barely missed the bottom-right portion of the zone. The second called strike was even further off the plate than the first.
The strikeout pitch was an 83-mph slider that appeared to be below the zone. Soto flipped his bat evidently in frustration over the call.
Juan Soto didn't see a strike during this seven pitch at-bat, and still struck out. pic.twitter.com/5EvnaWhZz4
The sequence was extra surprising given that Soto is one of the best in the majors at drawing walks. The 3-time All-Star led MLB in bases on balls in each of the last three seasons.
Soto also entered Tuesday’s contest with an outstanding .439 on-base percentage — the best in the American League by a wide margin.
Jun 8, 2021; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; LA Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (2) warms up prior to game one in the second round of the 2021 NBA Playoffs. at Vivint Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Swinger-USA TODAY Sports
Los Angeles Clippers star Kawhi Leonard is on the verge of making his return to the court.
Clippers head coach Ty Lue confirmed that Leonard is available to play Tuesday in Game 2 of their Western Conference first-round matchup against the Dallas Mavericks at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, Calif.
“Yeah, he’s playing,” Lue said of Leonard when asked about the All-Star’s status for Game 2.
“He’s done all the necessary things to be on the floor. He’s checked every box. … We’d never put a guy on the floor that’s not ready to go. And so, he’s ready to go.”
Leonard was seen warming up before the news of his return was made public. Leonard had missed the Clippers’ last nine games — including Game 1 of the series — due to right knee inflammation.
Game 2 will mark Leonard’s first time as a Clipper playing in front of a full-capacity playoff crowd at Crypto.com Arena. The 32-year-old is in his fifth season with the Clippers. Leonard’s first playoff action with the team was at the 2020 NBA Bubble at Orlando, Fla. He got hurt during the 2021 playoffs before full capacity was allowed.
Leonard played two road games during the 2023 playoffs before being ruled out with an injury. The Clippers missed the playoffs entirely in 2022.
The Clippers managed to win Game 1 on Sunday without Leonard. Their chances of going up 2-0 in the series over the Mavericks improved significantly with Leonard back in the lineup.
Dec 6, 2016; Auburn Hills, MI, USA; A view of the Chicago Bulls logo on a pair of game shorts at The Palace of Auburn Hills. The Pistons won 102-91. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports
The Chicago Bulls have made some changes to their coaching staff — though not the big one.
The Bulls are keeping Billy Donovan but shuffling around the assistants on his staff. Assistant coach Chris Fleming is not being retained. Maurice Cheeks will remain with the team but will no longer have a full-time role on the coaching bench.
Can confirm Chris Fleming will not return to Billy Donovan’s staff, as @ShamsCharania 1st reported
I asked Artūras Karnišovas directly about this Saturday because I was under impression changes were coming
Also, Maurice Cheeks will remain with Bulls but not full-time bench role
The Bulls went 46-36 in 2021-2022 and lost in the first round of the playoffs. The Bulls were two games under .500 two seasons ago and finished four games under .500 this season.
The Bulls have gone 156-162 (.491) in four seasons under Donovan.
