Author: devinbrainch

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NBA

Pacers’ Tyrese Haliburton Has Become the Best Point Guard in the NBA

When considering the best young players in the NBA, most fans think of names like Luka Doncic, Trae Young, and Ja Morant. It’s about time that we introduce a new player to this list, Indiana Pacers point guard, Tyrese Haliburton. His ascension over the last three years has been featured in the NBA’s inaugural In-Season Tournament as he has dominated the tournament and made headlines.

In just his second NBA season, Tyrese Haliburton was a part of a pivotal trade between the Sacramento Kings and the Indiana Pacers. Being traded to the Pacers was a game-changer for Haliburton as he became the number one offensive player for the Pacers immediately. In his first full season with the Pacers, Haliburton showcased his dominance, averaging 20 points and 10 assists per game. Despite Haliburton’s elite offensive season, he still went under the radar for many NBA fans and media outlets. 

So far this season, Tyrese Haliburton has elevated his game to the next level. Scoring has become easy as Haliburton is averaging a career high 27 points per game. Notably, Haliburton impacts his scoring from outside the arc, shown by his league leading 44% three-point percentage. Haliburton combines his scoring ability with his elite playmaking. He leads the league with 12.1 assists per game. Haliburton has been the driving force behind the Pacers maintaining the highest scoring offense in NBA history. 

Through his stellar play on the court, Haliburton has used the NBA’s inaugural In-Season Tournament to build up his name. With the In-Season Tournament bringing new meaning to the NBA regular season, the viewership has been at an all-time high. Haliburton has showcased his talents to the larger audience, leading the Pacers to an undefeated record. They eliminated big market teams including the Boston Celtics and the Milwaukee Bucks. The Pacers now look forward to playing the Los Angeles Lakers in the In-Season Tournament Finals. While his name was under the radar before the tournament started, fans now believe Haliburton can beat Lebron James and the Lakers.

While many are still reluctant to say it, Tyrese Haliburton has proven that he is the modern-day Magic Johnson. This may feel like an overreaction, but Haliburton’s game has been strikingly like these NBA legends. Like Magic Johnson, Haliburton is a tall point guard who creates openings for his teammates. Much like Magic Johnson, Haliburton prioritizes winning games.  What elevates Halliburton is his scoring ability which is necessary in 2023. Alongside his elite playmaking skills, Haliburton still takes many shots.

Arguably the best point guard in the NBA right now, Haliburton’s main goal is winning more games. He has a chance at the biggest win of his career as he takes on the Lakers tonight in the In-Season Tournament Final.

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NFL

Despite Joe Burrow’s Season-Ending Injury, The Cincinnati Bengals Are Eyeing a Playoff Spot

Both the Cincinnati Bengals and NFL fans were devastated midday Friday when it was announced that quarterback Joe Burrow was ruled out for the rest of the season. In a critical divisional matchup against the Baltimore Ravens on Thursday night, Burrow left the game with an unknown wrist injury. While most Bengals fans were frustrated with the 34-20 loss, reality set in after the game. Their franchise quarterback injured his right throwing wrist. Bengals head coach Zac Taylor confirmed that Burrow had torn a ligament and is out for the season. This is a significant blow for a team that had been dominating, defeating Super Bowl contenders in the San Francisco 49ers and the Buffalo Bills.

Despite the widespread belief that the Bengals cannot make the playoff without their MVP caliber quarterback, recent history shows that they can still compete. Burrow is the sixth quarterback to face a season ending injury. Along with those six, nine other quarterbacks have missed time with injuries this season. Many backup quarterbacks have entered the scene and proven they can win. Significant examples of this include Vikings’ quarterback Josh Dobbs, and Bears’ quarterback Tyson Bagnet. There are many parallels between the Vikings disaster when Kirk Cousins went down with injury, and the Bengals current situation. The Vikings proved that it is possible to dominate even with a new quarterback under center.

Jake Browning, likely the Bengals quarterback moving forward, may not be Joe Burrow, but he brings his own skills to the table. Browning’s play-extending skills and ability to utilize his legs were shown in his limited opportunities against the Ravens. Along with this, he also showed confidence as a passer given the situation, he was put in. The play-extending skill and pocket passing accuracy Browning has been very Joe Burrow-like. While he is obviously not near Joe Burrows level of talent, the offense should have no problem adapting to Browning at quarterback. While there has been speculation about signing a bigger-name quarterback like Matt Ryan or Nick Foles, Browning’s playstyle aligns well enough to give him a chance. Being with the team all offseason, Browning is already an expert on the system. The success will ultimately be determined by if Browning can deliver consistent execution on a week-to-week basis.

Currently 1.5 games out of the playoff picture, the Bengals should not throw away this season. The winning culture in Cincinnati is real and will thrive if Browning plays well enough. With the plethora of offensive and defensive weapons, this team is built to be a playoff team, with or without Joe Burrow at quarterback.

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NFL

2023-24 NFL Season Awards and Super Bowl Prediction

          With training camp coming to an end and the preseason starting this past week, the NFL regular season is now only weeks away. Around this time of year, all 32 NFL teams have some sense of hope, and while they may not all be super bowl contenders, week one is a reset point for every team. Anything that happened in the prior season no longer matters because every team starts fresh with a 0-0 record. Many intriguing storylines lead NFL fans to wonder, which players will stand out and contribute to a Super Bowl push.

NFL Most Valuable Player: Joe Burrow, QB Cincinnati Bengals

When casual NFL fans think of the modern-day NFL quarterback, they tend to describe the physical traits of the likes of Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, and Lamar Jackson. Ridiculous speed, superhuman throw power, freakishly athletic. These words all accurately describe the quarterbacks mentioned above. The NFL has evolved to a point where these physical traits are ideal for most offensive plays to reach their full potential. The truth is Joe Burrow does not have that one athletic trait that makes him stand out. Burrow, however, has enough athleticism to help him escape from pressure when needed. Burrow is also the best at what quarterbacks are intended to do, which is passing the football. Entering just his 4th season, Burrow already has the highest completion percentage in NFL history. In addition to this, Burrow has led the Bengals to two AFC Championship appearances and a Super Bowl berth. Burrow has a loaded receiving cast in Jamarr Chase, Tee Higgins, and Tyler Boyd, which will only help him succeed even more. The one thing that has been missing for Burrow is a solid offensive line. The Bengals’ offensive line has been so awful that Burrow has been sacked the most out of any quarterback for the last three seasons. This offseason, the Bengals signed Pro Bowl left tackle, Orlando Brown Jr. with the hope to fix their long needed offensive line support. If the Bengals offensive line can be above average at the minimum, Joe Burrow will be in for a huge year.


NFL Offensive Player of the Year: Travis Kelce, TE Kansas City Chiefs

History does not suggest that Travis Kelce has a chance to win this award. In the past, every Offensive Player of the Year has been either a quarterback, running back, or wide receiver. Tight ends have never received the respect that they deserve. To paraphrase Kelce, traditionally, a tight end is that wide receiver that isn’t fast enough and that tackle that isn’t strong enough. It’s safe to say that Travis Kelce has flipped the negative narrative on tight ends recently as he has proved to be one of the best offensive weapons in the last decade. Coming off his 7th straight, thousand-yard receiving season, Kelce is in position to make his strongest case yet to be the Offensive Player of the Year. As the Chiefs are more limited than ever at their wide receiver position this season, Patrick Mahomes will happily give Kelce the most targets in his entire career. This could result in Kelce having over 150 receptions and 1500 yards, which would be enough to capture the voters’ attention. If his touchdown numbers are high, which will be no problem with the Chiefs’ electric offense, Kelce should finally be named the Offensive Player of the Year.

NFL Defensive Player of the Year: Myles Garrett, DE Cleveland Browns

It is shocking that Myles Garrett is yet to be honored with the Defensive Player of the Year award. Garrett has had one role his entire career – to sack the quarterback. Aside from turnovers, sacks are the most significant and impactful play a defender can make. In the past three seasons, Garrett has had a league-leading 44 sacks. Along with this, almost every Pro Football Focus rating show Myles Garrett is the best defensive player in the NFL. When it comes to defenders, stats don’t lie, and they show Garrett to be the most impactful defender in the entire NFL. Entering his 7th season, it is time that Myles Garrett takes home this award.

Offensive Rookie of the Year: Bijan Robinson, RB Atlanta Falcons

Many called it a reach when the Atlanta Falcons selected running back Bijan Robinson with the 8th overall pick in the draft. Amid recent debate about the devaluing of the running back position, it seemed like a major risk to select Robinson so early in the draft. Running backs have the shortest average career length among all NFL positions, with an average span of 2.57 years. Historically, elite running backs will be stars immediately, but then will have a quick career decline soon after. Much of the time it is due to injuries, as running backs take more hits than any other position. We saw this sudden rise to stardom and steep career decline in former Cowboys running back, Ezekiel Elliott. Taking the NFL by storm, Elliott led the NFL in rushing yards in his rookie season. Elliott was so dominant, he even received MVP votes in his phenomenal rookie year. Since that season, Elliott was never the same as he dealt with injuries and suspensions that derailed his career. His career fell apart so much that he was eventually released by the Cowboys. Other running backs with career paths like Elliott are former Chiefs player Kareem Hunt and former Rams running back Todd Gurley. With all this said, Bijan Robinson is in a unique situation. In NFL history, there has never been a running back prospect as highly graded and hyped up as Bijan Robinson. While it is unknown how his career will shape following his rookie season, Bijan Robinson is looking like he will be an unprecedented running back for defenses to face. I would not be surprised if Robinson follows the steps of former rookie running backs and leads the NFL in rushing yards to start his promising career.

Defensive Rookie of the Year: Will Anderson, LB Houston Texans

Will Anderson was the top prospect in this past NFL Draft and was selected third overall by the Houston Texans. His three-year college career in Alabama proved why he deserves such praise. It was his sophomore year that really made him stand out as one of the best prospects in the entire country. Anderson led the defense with 17.5 sacks on the Alabama team which would eventually make it to the national championship game. Anderson is freakishly athletic and not a single offensive line was able to stop him in college. The only question that remains is if his skills will translate to the NFL level. Given that he has the athleticism and the mechanics to be elite on an NFL field, this seems likely.

Super Bowl Prediction: Cincinnati Bengals vs. Seattle Seahawks

More than half the teams in the AFC are Super Bowl contenders. The conference is loaded with more talent than ever before. While any team could win the AFC, I think the teams with the better quarterbacks will prove to have the advantage they need to win playoff games. The Cincinnati Bengals have the most stacked roster in the entire AFC along with potential MVP Joe Burrow, so they are my pick to win the AFC. To accomplish this, they must avoid the unforced errors that caused their downfall last season. The Bengals have a lot of young talent to be excited about, but once again the center of attention will be their wide receivers. Jamarr Chase will attempt to make his case as the best wide receiver in the NFL this year. Last playoffs, we saw Tee Higgins play like a superstar receiver, and he will take an even bigger leap this season. On almost any other team, Tee Higgins would be a wide receiver-one. The offense will no doubt be great, however their newly renovated defense leaves many unknowns. While the departures of safeties Vonn Bell and Jessie Bates do hurt, the front office managed this well by bringing in a lot of young talent for the secondary. Much of the talent comes with the linebackers and defensive line. With an emerging talent in Logan Wilson and an elite defensive line headlined by Trey Hendrickson and DJ Reader, this defense is one of the most underrated in the NFL. As we’ve seen in previous years, the Bengals defense needs to step up in critical situations to win playoff games.

        The NFC champion is almost as hard to predict for the opposite reason. Compared to the AFC, the NFC is the weakest it has been in a long time, giving many lower tier teams a chance to contend. The Philadelphia Eagles are the heavy favorite to repeat as NFC champions; however, injuries may derail the party for them. The Eagles rely on their extremely successful system created by head coach, Nick Sirianni. It is mainly focused on read option rushing attacks mixed with some passing attacks. The passing game is heavily reliant on the Eagles two superstar receivers, and the rushing attack needs the Eagles league-best offensive line to be fully healthy. While they were relatively healthy last season, the offense has very little depth, and injuries to any players of significance could tear apart a very talented team. Another team that many people believe will win the NFC is the San Francisco 49ers. In recent seasons, the 49ers have faced constant injuries. Many argue that if the team can stay healthy, they are a super bowl lock. While I agree that this 49ers team will make the playoffs, I don’t think Brock Purdy as quarterback will be enough for them to win the conference. While a sleeper team, the Seattle Seahawks have all the tools needed for a Super Bowl run. Seattle’s offense is led by veteran quarterback entering his 10th season, Geno Smith. While for much of his career he was a backup, Smith took advantage of his opportunity last year and had a pro bowl season. This was no fluke as Geno Smith had the highest completion percentage in the NFL, along with throwing for over 4000 yards and 30 touchdowns. The Seahawks superstar receivers in DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett provided a lot of help for Seattle’s offense. The Seahawks added to their wide receiver core this offseason, by drafting wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba. If the passing game is ever having an off day, the Seahawks have running back Kenneth Walker in the backfield. Walker, entering his second season, is coming off a sensational rookie season proving he is one of the best running backs in the league. While this offense sets high standards, the defense will not disappoint. The defensive line is nothing to be very excited about, however the Seahawks secondary might be the most electric in the NFL. Cornerbacks including second year sensation Tariq Woolen and 5th overall draft selection Devon Witherspoon will turn heads. Seattle also has proven star safeties, Quandre Diggs, and Jamal Adams. Quarterbacks will be sure to avoid throwing towards this elite group of defenders. 

         This Super Bowl matchup would be intriguing to many but ultimately there is one major difference between these two teams. The Seahawks and Bengals have very similar teams; however, one team has Joe Burrow and the other does not. Geno Smith is one of the best quarterbacks in the league, but he is not close to the level that Joe Burrow is on. Burrow will give the Bengals more opportunities at impactful plays, which will ultimately win Cincinnati their first ever Lombardi Trophy.

Super Bowl LVII Champions: Cincinnati Bengals

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MLB

How the Cincinnati Reds Became the Most Fun Team in the MLB

Just last year the Cincinnati Reds were the joke among MLB fans, starting the season atrociously with a 3-22 record, and ultimately finishing with the third-worst record in the entire league. This was the outcome of the Reds’ management losing all-star caliber players Jesse Winker, Luis Castillo, and Nick Castellanos. The Reds went into the 2023 season with little to no expectations as their roster appeared better suited to play in the minor leagues than to compete in the NL Central, a very tough division. With such little hope, this season could be anything but a success… right? Maybe not.  

Promising Young Pitching Rotation 

It wasn’t all dire for the Reds at the start of 2023, as they did have a great young pitching rotation with future stars in Hunter Greene, Nick Lodolo, and Graham Ashcraft. Although the starting rotational pitchers had some success, the relieving pitchers lost the Reds multiple games right off the bat. These avoidable losses led to the Reds having a mediocre start with a record of 18-22. While the season wasn’t going all that badly, it was nothing special. It was not a completely lost season just yet, so the Reds decided to capitalize on it.  

Matt McLain’s Immediate Impact

The Reds’ first move was to call up one of their top young prospects, shortstop Matt McLain, from the minor leagues. McClain was dominating triple-A baseball for the Louisville Bats and seemed ready to enter “The Show.” Through McLain’s first month in the big leagues, he was already one of the best hitters in baseball with a batting average of .328. McLain was the first piece to a future contending Reds team. However, he was not the answer to fix all the Reds’ struggles as he is only a single player. After a month of him on the roster, the Reds were still hovering over the .500-win percentage.  

Gaining Momentum 

Along with McLain, the Reds called up a few more of their pitching prospects to start a new era of baseball in Cincinnati. Notable pitchers called up include Andrew Abbott and Brandon Williamson. While not intending to rush the development of these young players, the Reds management was also aware of the potential negative consequences of waiting too long to call them up. Although Cincinnati finally had some hope, they were still lacking enough firepower on their team which could prevent them from making a playoff push.  

Elly De La Cruz: A Game Changer  

Last week, the Reds decided that it was time to call up ESPN’s number one prospect in the entire MLB, Elly De La Cruz. In 2018, the Reds signed 16-year-old De La Cruz as an international free agent from the Dominican Republic. For over a year, Reds fans had been impatiently waiting for De La Cruz to be called up as he was the most hyped-up prospect not just for the Reds, but for the entire league. De La Cruz is a 6 ‘5” switch-hitting infielder and often called a unicorn. His raw power, arm strength, and superhuman speed, at once made him a player that pitchers would fear. In his first game in the majors, De La Cruz shocked the world by hitting a 112-mph double which was the hardest hit of the season. He followed it up the next day by hitting a 458-foot homerun in which the ball almost left the stadium. It has only been a week since De La Cruz was called up, yet he is already doing incredible things in the MLB. Fans and opposing pitchers can only anticipate the rise of Elly De La Cruz, a future potential MVP candidate for years to come.  

While much of their season up to this point has been mediocre, the Reds are finally starting to break out and create a name for themselves. They are currently riding a five-game winning streak, the highest in the MLB, along with winning five of their last six series. The Reds have been nothing but must-see TV as of late, and being only 1.5 games back in the NL Central, they could potentially turn this momentum into a playoff push. 

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Uncategorized

2023 NFL Draft Preview: A lot of unknowns

The long wait is over as the 2023 NFL Draft takes place tonight. Ever since the Super Bowl concluded, NFL fans have had the draft date circled on their calendar. Usually, there is a good sense of who the first couple of players off the board will be; however, this year, there is no consensus. Here are my thoughts:

The Number One Overall Pick

The Carolina Panthers acquired the first overall pick through a massive trade with the Chicago Bears. The Panthers will be selecting a quarterback, and the decision is likely between Alabama’s Bryce Young and Ohio State’s CJ Stroud. Young is narrowly favored over Stroud to be picked first, although concerns over Young’s height of 5’10” have made the decision not as clear-cut. Recent rumors suggest that the Panthers will select Kentucky quarterback Will Levis, however this is very improbable as his potential is not as high as Stroud or Young.  No matter what, Panthers fans can be sure they will have a franchise quarterback after the draft. 

Notable Prospects

This year’s draft is loaded with talent in all positions. Teams will have to decide if they value drafting the best player available or filling their positional needs. Notable players include Will Anderson, Jalen Carter, Anthony Richardson, Bijan Robinson, and many more. Arguably the best player in this draft, Will Anderson is an explosive pass rusher from Alabama. There are almost no downsides to his game and he will surely be a game-changing defender for whichever team drafts him. The Texans will likely be interested in Anderson with the second overall pick. Another player the Texans may be interested in is Georgia defensive tackle, Jalen Carter. At one point, Carter was the consensus first-overall pick, but with the Panthers announcing that they would draft a QB, Carter fell on draft boards. Every team wants an interior defensive lineman who can do it all  and Carter is that. Despite his 314 pounds, Carter is extremely quick and has unreal power. We haven’t seen a defensive tackle prospect as coveted in recent years so expect Carter to be high on the scouts’ draft board. 

One of the most talked about prospects is Florida QB, Anthony Richardson. Richardson is one of the most athletic quarterback prospects ever. With shades of Cam Newton, teams are interested in selecting him in the top ten. His through the roof potential along with his lack of experience makes him the deffiniiton of a boom or bust prospect. No matter what, he will be a project for whichever team takes the gamble on him. If the Colts are feeling risky, they could potentially draft Richardson with the fourth overall pick; otherwise, teams such as the Lions or the Vikings could draft him with intentions of benching him for his first season. The most debated prospect of the offseason is, without a doubt, Bijan Robinson of the Texas Longhorns. Robinson is widely considered the greatest running back prospect in over ten years. His combination of versatility, elusiveness, and patience makes him the most complete running back in a long time. The issue for him is that his position as a running back. In 2023, running backs are not valued as highly as they used to be. They tend to have the shortest careers, they usually don’t get selected in the first round, and they almost never make the top 10 selections. Where Robinson will be picked is one of the biggest mysteries of this draft; however, given what he brings to the table, don’t be surprised if he is selected within the top 10. This draft is the most complete in recent history with all positions represented strongly.

Long Night Ahead

As usual, the draft is sure to bring many surprise picks, trades, and more. The many unknowns in this year’s draft increases the excitement and tension among the players, fans, and teams. As we head into the first round, anything could happen. All NFL fans are looking forward to seeing how tonight plays out!

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Uncategorized

March Madness Sleeper Teams That Will Bust Your Bracket

It is finally March which means it is time for the most unpredictable tournament in all of sports. It seems that every year in March Madness, there are many surprising runs by teams. Last year it was St. Peters going to the Elite Eight and the year before it was Oral Roberts making it to the Sweet 16. While it is almost certain that no one will make a perfect bracket, nothing is stopping one from trying. All good brackets have one thing in common, a sleeper team. The team that no one thinks will get that far, yet does. Here are some sleeper teams to watch out for that could last longer than most think

  1. Oral Roberts Golden Eagles

It was just two years ago when Oral Roberts made the magical run to the Sweet 16. Being a 15 seed, nobody thought they would even make it past the first round. While they are not a 15 seed anymore, the odds are still not in their favor. Being the 12 seed gives them a tough matchup with Duke in the first round, a school famous for dominating in March. While Duke may seem like the obvious pick, be careful, because this game could have the opposite results. Currently, the Golden Eagles are averaging 84.2 points per game, which is the third most in all of college basketball. Led by their star point guard, Max Abams, this team is deadly on the offensive side of the ball. While Abams receives all the attention, Oral Roberts also has Connor Vanover, a 7 foot 5 center who is a defensive monster, averaging 3.3 blocks per game. Oral Roberts is the most underrated team in the whole tournament and they have the potential to go on a deep run.

  1. Northwestern Wildcats

It’s been a while since we have last seen Northwestern in March Madness Near the end of the season, it was uncertain that Northwestern was even going to make it to the NCAA tournament. However, when they needed wins most, the Wildcats took down number one-ranked Purdue in a thriller, and number 21-ranked Indiana. These wins solidified themselves into March Madness, however, then the downfall started, losing three critical games in a row. While there is a lot of question over Northwesterns consistency, they have a winnable path in the tournament. They are first scheduled to take on 10-seeded Boise State, a team that also has recent struggles. If they can pull it together and win the game, the Wildcats would likely take on the 2 seed UCLA Bruins. While this is a very tough matchup, UCLA lost their starting guard, Jaylen Clark, to an Achilles injury. While Northwestern’s offense is inconsistent, star point guard Boo Buie knows how to hit big shots, and will need to do that a lot for Northwestern to go far in March Madness.

  1. Penn State Nittany Lions

Penn State heated up at the perfect time. Just last week, it looked as though Penn state had little to no chance to be selected for the NCAA tournament. When all hope seemed lost, Penn State went on a run to the Big Ten Championship game, which made them a lock on Selection Sunday. While only the 10 seed, they have a very winnable matchup against Texas A&M. Penn State resembles the perfect team to go on a deep run in the tournament, as they are one of the best three-point shooting teams in the nation. To pull off upsets, big shots need to be made, and that shouldn’t be a problem for the Nittany Lions. They have an All-Big Ten guard in Jalen Pickett who will need to be the main focus on the offensive side of the ball. If Penn State continues to play how they have recently, they could definitely be a threat to go far in the tournament.

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NFL

Super Bowl Preview and Score Prediction

After almost five months of football, we are finally at the big game. The last two teams standing are the Philadelphia Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs. Both these teams have had wild seasons on their path to the Super Bowl. After a monster offseason, the Eagles went from an average NFL team to arguably the best team in the NFL. The most surprising storyline for the Eagles is the emergence of quarterback Jalen Hurts. To start the season, Hurts was questioned as a starter in the NFL, but now he’s an MVP finalist. As usual, the Chiefs have had a dominant season, but recently in the playoffs, some young stars have emerged. One is rookie running back, Isiah Pacheco who has truly elevated his game since the playoffs have begun. Players like him will be critical for the Chiefs. This game is a battle of the Chiefs’ number-one offense, versus the Eagles’ top-tier defense. As the Super Bowl hype has increased, interesting storylines have surfaced, one being the Kelce brothers. For the first time in NFL history, two brothers, Jason and Travis Kelce, will compete against each other for the Lombardi Trophy. While it’s impressive that these two siblings have gotten to this point in their careers to be competing in the Super Bowl, what’s more, impressive is how phenomenal these two players are. Eagles center, Jason Kelce, and Chiefs tight end, Travis Kelce have both proven to be the best at their respective positions over the last decade. Travis Kelce will need to have a phenomenal game for the Chiefs to win. Jason Kelce has the tough task of blocking the Chiefs’ incredible pass rush, led by Chris Jones. This game, dubbed “The Kelce Bowl”, has brought a lot of tense trash talk among the teams and the brothers. In the end, this game will come down to which defense makes the most significant plays. Both teams’ offenses will make big plays when needed as they have all season, and this game could come down to the final few drives. Over the past five years, the entire NFL has learned one thing. Never doubt Patrick Mahomes. This is a different situation though, as Mahomes has been dealing with an ankle injury that could hold him back. While Mahomes could keep the Chiefs in this game through three quarters, the Eagles’ defense will take advantage of Mahomes’ injury, and shut down the Chiefs’ offense in the fourth quarter. With a dominant performance in the second half from the Eagles’ offense and defense, they will come back and be crowned Super Bowl champions.

Final Score Prediction: Eagles win 28-24

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Instant Reaction: Kyrie Irving Traded to the Dallas Mavericks

Just a few days ago, star point guard Kyrie Irving unexpectedly requested a trade from the Brooklyn Nets. With Irving’s contract expiring this coming offseason, the Nets had no choice but to trade him so they could get the most out of his tremendous value. After a lot of speculation, Kyrie Irving was dealt to the Dallas Mavericks to be paired up with MVP front-runner, Luka Donic. This move says a lot about both teams and their plans going forward. 

Trade Details

Dallas Mavericks Receive: Kyrie Irving and Markieff Morris 

Brooklyn Nets receive: Dorian Finney-Smith, Spencer Dinwiddie, 2029 first-round pick, 2027 and 2029 second-round picks

Recently, Mavericks owner, Mark Cuban, has been getting negative media coverage for the Mavericks’ lackluster team around the young prodigy, Luka Doncic. Finally, the Mavericks have made the move that will enhance them from playoff contender to championship contender. Taking advantage of Kyrie Irving’s trade request, the Mavericks traded very little to get Irving. The Mavericks proved that they are finally willing to build a high-quality team around Luka Doncic, arguably the best player in the NBA. Just last season, the Mavericks were in the Western Conference Finals but didn’t have enough to reach the NBA Finals. This year, the Mavericks have been a solid team, but they’ve clearly been missing a piece. Luka Doncic has carried the Mavericks to a 28-26 record, but this is not sustainable come playoff time. By acquiring future hall-of-fame point guard Kyrie Irving, the Dallas Mavericks will be a threat to win the NBA Finals this year, and for many years to come.

Just a few years ago, it looked as though the Nets would dominate the NBA with their newly acquired trio of Kyrie Irving, Kevin Durant, and James Harden. The Nets ended up going through much drama among their star players, and now James Harden and Kyrie Irving, are both playing for new teams. Even though the Nets were forced into trading Irving, it shows that there is something wrong in Brooklyn. This is the second time Irving has requested a trade, along with Kevin Durant requesting a trade earlier this season. This has nothing to do with the Nets being a bad team because they have been pretty good this season. The Nets team chemistry and culture just don’t seem to be there, and due to that, players don’t want to play in Brooklyn. This is the next piece of the Brooklyn Nets to fall, and I wouldn’t be surprised if Kevin Durant again demands out of Brooklyn later this year. With the loss of Irving, it is unlikely that the Nets will be championship contenders, though they will probably still make the playoffs because they have Kevin Durant. This trade is the beginning of the end for the Brooklyn Nets and the start of a new era in Dallas.

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NFL

Why Bengals’ Lou Anarumo is the Best Defensive Coordinator in the NFL

Since the Bengals broke out last year and became one of the best teams in the NFL, the offense has received most of the attention. However, in the biggest moments last year, it seems the Bengals’ defense has been the ones to step up. In last year’s playoff run, the defense made many plays to save the Bengals’ season. Most notably, in the 2022 AFC Championship game, the Bengals were down 21-3 at halftime, and it looked like the Kansas City Chiefs were about to end the Bengals’ season. Patrick Mahomes was dominating the game as usual with a 98.0 passer rating(ESPN metrics on a 0-100 scale). The Bengals’ defense then went on to have one of the greatest defensive turnarounds of all time. Mahomes could do next to nothing in the second half of this game, with a 1.4 passer rating(0-100 scale). While some may see this as the biggest quarterback collapse in recent NFL history, I see it as one of the greatest defensive adjustments in NFL history. Bengals defensive coordinator, Lou Anarumo, knew it was up to him to make the proper adjustments to give the Bengals a chance. According to Next Gen Stats, Anarumo made major adjustments; the Bengals just about doubled their usage of dropping 8+ defenders into coverage, doing this 24% of the time in the first half, to 45% of the time in the second half. This major defensive adjustment saved the Bengals’ season, and it was done by none other than Lou Anarumo. This wasn’t the first time Anarumo made game-changing adjustments to save the game. Just earlier in the same season, the Bengals played the Chiefs for the first time and were down 28-17 in the first half. After being lit up by Patrick Mahomes in the first half, the Chiefs failed to score more than three points in the second half. Lou Anarumo keeps proving why he is an elite coach in the NFL, and he is starting to make a name for himself. In a dominant performance last weekend, the Bengals held the Buffalo Bills, the third-highest-scoring offense in the NFL, to only 10 points. Lou Anarumo will be in talks this offseason to be hired as a head coach, and he is someone that NFL teams will not want to miss out on.

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NBA

The Tank For Victor Wembanyama is On

The tank for Victor Wembanyama is on. Wembanyama, an NBA Prospect, is widely considered the best NBA Draft prospect of all time. He is a 7-4 French center whose shooting ability has been compared to future hall-of-Famer, Kevin Durant, and his defense has been compared to the 3x defensive player of the year, Rudy Gobert. With the rise of Victor Wembenyama has come a load of NBA teams that will do almost anything to get him. Unlike other American Sports, the worst team is not guaranteed the first overall pick in the Draft. The NBA has a draft lottery which changes the strategy when teams are tanking. The worst three teams all have 14% odds of winning the Draft Lottery, so while tanking could have massive rewards, it could also have negative consequences if luck is not on your side. Numerous teams are already tanking, and the amount of these teams will increase when the trade deadline comes around. Just as the Victor Wembanyama hype was taking over, NBA stars weighed in. 

“This kid is going to be a problem. A big problem. I’ve never seen this before in my life.” – Giannis Antetokounmpo on Victor Wembanyama.

“Everybody’s been a unicorn over the last few years,” said James on Wednesday, “but [Wembanyama] is more like an alien.” – Lebron James oppinion on Wembanyama

“He’s like a 2K create-a-player; every point guard who wants to be 7-foot.” – Steph Curry’s opinion on Victor Wembanyama

While the NBA Draft is always a time for young talent to come into the league and take over, this year has higher stakes. By midseason, I expect any teams that feel they will not win a championship to start tanking before it’s too late. This year, winning the Draft Lottery will change a team’s future in so many ways. While the team that drafts Wembanyama will likely start winning more, the value of that team will also change drastically. It has been said that drafting Wembanyama could increase a team’s value by as much as 500 million dollars. While every tanking team’s dream is to win the draft lottery and select the once-in-a-lifetime prospect, only one team will achieve that goal. However, there are still other generational prospects in this draft that teams are very intrigued about. We know who the consensus first-overall pick is, but we also know who the consensus second-overall pick is. Scoot Henderson, a guard in the G-League Ignite, has been lights out and is looking like one of the best draft prospects in a long time. He can do anything that NBA teams look for in guards. He scores, he passes and he brings an overall electric feel to the court. He brings a lot of energy and is one of the most talented players scouts have ever seen. Scoot Henderson had a chance to play against Victor Wembanyama, in the game of a lifetime. They both put on killer performances and it was exciting all the way to the end. These two players are headlining the highly anticipated draft that could go down as an all-time great NBA Draft.