Sep 1, 2019; Atlanta, GA, USA; Detailed view of Chicago White Sox hat and glove against the Atlanta Braves in the third inning at SunTrust Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports
The Chicago White Sox remain busy this offseason, albeit with only marginal upgrades.
Chicago announced this week that they have signed veteran catcher Omar Narvaez in free agency. The 32-year-old Narvaez is getting a minor-league deal from the White Sox with an invite to Spring Training.
Narvaez was an All-Star in 2021 with the Milwaukee Brewers, hitting .266 with 11 home runs and 49 RBIs in 123 games that year. But Narvaez had a forgettable last couple of seasons with the New York Mets, batting .192 overall with a negative WAR. He was released by New York in June and spent the rest of 2024 at Triple-A Sugar Land (affiliate of the Houston Astros) where he hit .196 over 42 games.
Still, Narvaez may be a better option for the White Sox behind the plate than Korey Lee (a .188 lifetime hitter) and Matt Thaiss (a career-long backup). Chicago is at least doing things in free agency this offseason, but most of their signings at this point have been 30-something has-beens.
Mar 27, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; LA Clippers forward Paul George before action against the Philadelphia 76ers at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
It may be a new team, but it appears to be the same old Paul George.
The Philadelphia 76ers star George raised some eyebrows on Friday with comments he made after a 123-115 loss to the Western Conference-worst New Orleans Pelicans. George, who has seen some time at center this season with Joel Embiid continuing to miss games with injuries, said that he was “bored” with having to play the center role.
“I’m used to scrapping and running around and chasing and fighting through screens,” said George. “To be honest, I’m bored playing [at] the 5. It just don’t do enough for me.
“I enjoy chasing the little guys,” he continued. “Matching up against wing offensive players.”
George did also acknowledge though that he was “mindful” of his ability to help clog up the middle. Here is the full clip.
The nine-time All-Star George is in his first season with the 76ers after signing a four-year, $212 million max deal with them over the summer. It has not gone according to plan though with George averaging a pedestrian line of 16.5 points per game on 42/34/81 shooting splits for the 15-21 Sixers.
George did put together a strong individual game on Friday (finishing with 25 points, 11 rebounds, and five assists) and has the multi-positional ability at 6-foot-8 with good defensive strength. But complaints about his role have been a common theme for the 34-year-old throughout his NBA career.
With his first career team (the Indiana Pacers), George griped about having to play power forward and with his previous team (the LA Clippers), George complained about being used like a guard. Now that he is having to fill in at center for a 76ers team that is dealing with the Embiid situation and other long-term injury absences, George also seems to be complaining about that.
Dec 17, 2023; Jacksonville, Florida, USA; Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers (4) warms up before a game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at EverBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports
Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers is already set to miss Saturday’s AFC Wild Card game due to the knee injury he suffered in Week 18. That absence may linger, however, even if the Ravens advance.
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported Saturday that Flowers could miss the AFC Divisional round as well, even if the Ravens defeat the Pittsburgh Steelers on Saturday. Flowers was “pretty sore” throughout the week and would have a chance to play next week, though it is far from certain.
“My understanding is he was pretty sore this week, kind of hobbling around the locker room,” Rapoport said on NFL Network. “From what I am told, he does at least have an outside chance of being back on the field next week.”
Flowers tallied 74 catches for 1,059 yards and four touchdowns on the season, good enough for a Pro Bowl nod. He suffered his knee sprain in the team’s Week 18 game, which decided the division championship but not a playoff spot.
As long as Flowers is sidelined, expect the Ravens to lean more heavily on Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry in the run game. Rashod Bateman will also have a major part to play as the top receiver in Flowers’ absence.
Aug 16, 2019; Atlanta, GA, USA; Detailed view of Los Angeles Dodgers hat and glove in the dugout against the Atlanta Braves in the first inning at SunTrust Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports
One veteran arm does not intend to continue his MLB career anywhere else but with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Speaking this week with Alysha Del Valle of The Dodgers Bleed Los Podcast, righty reliever Joe Kelly revealed that he plans to retire if not re-signed by the Dodgers. Kelly remains a free agent after his one-year contract with the team expired last season.
“If I had to play anywhere else, I wouldn’t play,” Kelly said of the Dodgers. “I am content all around. We have a good relationship. Like I said, once I am healthy, it’s kinda like Clayton [Kershaw]’s deal. There is only one spot we will come back to. It’s either that or, you know, if my body doesn’t heal as well as it wants to, then you never know. So we’ll see.”
Kelly is a 13-year MLB veteran who has been a part of both the Dodgers’ World Series teams of the last half-decade. Last season, Kelly posted a 4.78 ERA over 35 appearances but missed time with a throwing shoulder injury and was left off the Dodgers’ postseason roster.
The Dodgers probably do not have that much of a need for Kelly anymore since he is 36 years old now and has been experiencing declining command. But he still has impressive velocity for his age and remains a local favorite (especially for his many antics) that the L.A. fans would love to have back.
Dec 27, 2010; Houston, TX, USA; Atlanta Falcons helmet on the field before a game against the New Orleans Saints at the Georgia Dome. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports
The Atlanta Falcons made a significant change to their coaching staff Saturday, one week after narrowly missing out on a playoff spot.
The Falcons fired defensive coordinator Jimmy Lake after just one season. Defensive line coach Jay Rodgers was also let go. The moves come after head coach Raheem Morris exerted more control over the defense as the season went on.
Lake had worked with Morris with the Los Angeles Rams before Morris landed the Falcons’ head coach job. He brought Lake with him as his defensive coordinator, but they did not get the results they wanted. They were 23rd in the league in points allowed and struggled down the stretch, allowing 44 points in a do-or-die overtime loss to Carolina in Week 18.
The Falcons did keep themselves in the playoff race up to Week 18, though they finished with an 8-9 record. Quarterback Michael Penix Jr. showed a lot of promise on the offensive side of the ball, but the defense needs work for Morris to improve in year two. Firing Lake is a concession to that point.
Sep 2, 2023; Fort Worth, Texas, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders walks on the field before the game against the TCU Horned Frogs at Amon G. Carter Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports
Deion Sanders has denied having interest in an NFL head coaching job, but a new report suggests otherwise.
Sanders has expressed interest in the Las Vegas Raiders’ head coaching position, according to Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal. A source told Bonsignore that Sanders has “a very strong interest” in the job.
The report claims that associates of Sanders who have NFL connections have made the Raiders aware of Sanders’ interest. It is not clear if the Raiders are as interested in the Colorado coach as he is in them.
Sanders has consistently said he loves Colorado and plans to stay, so this reporting is at odds with that. As recently as this week, Sanders said publicly that the only thing that could tempt him into an NFL coaching job would be the opportunity to coach both of his sons. Sanders’ son Shedeur is expected to be one of the first quarterbacks off the board in April’s NFL Draft, and the Raiders do need a long-term answer at the position. However, it is not at all clear that Shedeur Sanders would fall to the Raiders at No. 6, or whether the Raiders would have the appetite to possibly trade up and put themselves in a position to select him.
The Raiders fired coach Antonio Pierce and GM Tom Telesco earlier this week, giving themselves a fresh start across the board. Minority owner Tom Brady is expected to have a significant say in both hires, and reports indicate there might be another coaching candidate he prefers. If Sanders really wants the Raiders job, he might have to get to work convincing Brady that he is the right man for the role.
Sanders just finished a successful second season at Colorado, which saw him go 9-4. He is 40-18 overall at the college level thanks in large part to his very successful run at Jackson State before landing the Colorado job.
Oct 5, 2024; Athens, Georgia, USA; Georgia Bulldogs quarterback Carson Beck (15) walks off the field after Georgia defeated the Auburn Tigers at Sanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images
A new report has revealed how much Carson Beck will make in NIL money after transferring to the Miami Hurricanes.
Beck’s NIL package will pay him $4 million in 2025, according to John Talty and Chris Hummer of CBS Sports. That number is actually lower than Beck’s initial demand, which would have been a record NIL deal.
Though Beck apparently had to lower his initial demands, his contract puts him on par with Duke quarterback Darian Mensah, who is believed to have the biggest NIL deal in the country.
Notably, no other serious suitors pursued Beck during the brief time he was in the transfer portal. While Miami was always regarded as the favorite to land the Georgia quarterback, there were thought to be other teams that at least had interest.
Beck was not in the portal for long before publicly committing to Miami. The chance to start at a competitive program put the Hurricanes in a strong position from the start. That they were able to offer him one of the biggest NIL deals in the country certainly did not hurt, either.
Nov 17, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Former quarterback and current NFL announcer Tom Brady looks on before the game between the Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Bartel-Imagn Images
The Las Vegas Raiders may be zeroing in on one head coaching candidate already as they embark on a search to replace Antonio Pierce.
The Raiders are “enamored” with Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. Johnson has emerged as the name to watch in Las Vegas, and the organization is even willing to wait as long as it needs to hire a head coach. That could work in Johnson’s favor if the Lions embark on a lengthy playoff run.
A big reason for the Raiders’ interest is the presence of minority owner Tom Brady. Rapoport adds that Brady “personally vouched” for Johnson to the Raiders, and connected with Johnson’s agent to implore Johnson to accept an initial interview. Johnson is still weighing his preferred opportunities, but is keeping an open mind regarding both the Raiders and other interested teams.
Johnson is one of the most attractive coaching candidates of the cycle, meaning he can be picky with his job preferences. The Raiders do appear to have piqued his interest, even though the closest thing they have to a long-term quarterback is the relatively unheralded Aidan O’Connell.
Brady clearly has a high opinion of Johnson, which certainly carries some weight. However, the organization appears ready to cast a fairly wide net as it searches for a new coach.
Mar 7, 2024; Columbus, OH, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day watches players stretch during spring football practice at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center. Photo Credit: Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
Ohio State head coach Ryan Day was beaming with pride Friday after his star edge rusher Jack Sawyer came up big against Texas.
Sawyer made the huge defensive play that sealed Ohio State’s 28-14 win over Texas in their College Football Playoff semifinal matchup at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Sawyer forced a fumble and scooped it up for an 83-yard touchdown return with just over two minutes left in the contest (video here).
Day could not have sounded more proud of Sawyer during the coach’s postgame interview.
“I can’t say enough about Jack Sawyer. He’s a guy who loves being a Buckeye. He loves his teammates. He’s done everything we’ve asked him to do. He’s a captain. He’s everything that we could possibly ask for in a captain,” said Day.
“To make a play like that in that moment. We talked about it before the game. If you want to leave a legacy behind, you become a legend. He just became a legend at Ohio State.”
Sawyer’s heroics punched Ohio State’s ticket to the CFP national champion game against Notre Dame. But whether or not the Buckeyes win it all, Sawyer already managed to get himself immortalized in Ohio State football history.
Sawyer recorded three tackles, broke up a pass, and came up with his lone sack of the night when his team needed it most.
Coach Day wasn’t the only one who showed Sawyer some major love. Ohio State quarterback Will Howard shared a fiery moment with Sawyer that went viral on social media right after the senior pass rusher made the game-ending play.
Nobody was more pumped Friday than Ohio State quarterback Will Howard after defensive end Jack Sawyer made a play that completely changed this year’s College Football Playoff.
Ohio State was holding onto a 21-14 lead over Texas with just over two minutes left in their CFP semifinal matchup at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The Longhorns had 1st-and-goal at the Buckeyes’ 1-yard line and looked poised to tie the game.
But Ohio State’s defense held firm. The Buckeyes stuffed a first-down rushing attempt, and then pushed the Longhorns back to the 8-yard line on second down. An incomplete pass thrown by Texas QB Quinn Ewers on third down set up a huge fourth down for both sides.
The moment was set up perfectly for Sawyer. The Ohio State pass rusher beat his man on the edge to sack Ewers and force a fumble. In an instant, a potential game-tying play for Texas turned into a 83-yard scoop-and-score for Sawyer.
Howard and Sawyer shared an incredible moment on the bench after the play. Howard was seen screaming at Sawyer with intense passion. Without context, the scene looked like the two were having an intense disagreement. But Howard was just that fired up after Sawyer sealed Ohio State’s spot in the College Football Playoff National Championship opposite Notre Dame.
Howard went 24/33 for 289 yards with a touchdown and an interception in the victory. Sawyer recorded three tackles, a sack, and one of the most memorable plays in Ohio State football history.
