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Last year when Colorado signed NFL Hall of Famer Deion Sanders, aka Coach Prime, as their next football head coach, the expectations were enormous. Sanders brought in high confidence in his team which came off to some negatively. His high ego has led to Colorado being the most divisive team in the country. Despite all the hype around Colorado, they finished Sanders’ first season with an awful 4-8 record. Regardless of the losing record, the Buffaloes played all their games with style and energy. 

Although there is a lot of doubt entering year 2 of Sanders’ tenure, the Buffaloes will surprise many fans. Although Sanders’ coaching style isn’t for everyone, he brings in a lot of experience, himself being arguably the greatest cornerback of all time. Sanders has used his experience and connections to bring in numerous former NFL players to help coach the Buffaloes in the off-season. The Buffaloes also have some of the most skilled athletes in the country, notably Travis Hunter, who plays both cornerback and wide receiver. At quarterback, they are again being led by Deion Sanders’ son, Shedur Sanders, who is currently a Heisman front-runner.

It is unclear what fans should expect from Colorado this season, but knowing Coach Prime, the goal is to qualify for the new 12-team playoff and win the national title. To accomplish this, Coach Prime will need to avoid his fatal mistake of becoming the enemy in college football. He will need to incite confidence in his team while avoiding arrogance. Colorado has a reasonable schedule that could lead to many wins, and they will need a win tonight against North Dakota State to start the season strong.

Last night, the closing ceremonies officially concluded the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. Since I attended some events at the games, I have some thoughts on the in-person viewing experience. The Olympics are a very different sporting event compared to most because there is no single winner. Unlike events such as the World Cup or the World Baseball Classic, there are winners from many different countries in numerous events. While some may care about which country wins the most gold medals, this is less of a focal point. For the athletes, it is not only about competing for themselves but also about the pride of representing their country. Moments like when Greek basketball player, Giannis Antetokounmpo, proudly carried the Greek flag during the opening ceremonies show how much it means to the athletes to represent their countries. 

In each Olympic Games, new sports are being added, even to the point where some question if something is a sport (most notably breakdancing was introduced this year). Nonetheless, it is a great way to introduce the world to a sport that may not be popular in most countries. One of the more obscure sports that I watched in person was beach volleyball. This event felt much less serious than other events such as tennis, but that didn’t take away the fun and excitement when watching it. The announcers played music between every point and the audience became very involved with cheering on the players. While some sports require a close match to engage the crowd, this was a very fun event to watch regardless of the stakes.

The tennis matches at Roland Garros felt much different from beach volleyball as they were much more intense. I watched a Round 1 match between Rafael Nadal from Spain and Marton Fuscovics from Hungary. The crowd was very in favor of Nadal but there was much more nervousness among fans in this stadium than I have seen at other events. Nadal with his 14 French Open wins seemed at home at the Roland Garros Center Court. However, the match was close at times and went all the way to three sets with Nadal winning eventually, 6-1, 4-6, 6-4.

Even though each event had the same Paris 2024 Olympic branding and the same music playing, they all felt different in their own ways. Each stadium had its own flavor with the beach volleyball stadium being the most impressive with the Eiffel Tower in the background. Table tennis had a lot of the crowd chanting in different languages and waving flags for their countries. The soccer stadium spectators were really intent on doing the wave and the Uzbekistan soccer team fan base came with their own drums and cheer routines. This was overall a positive experience since every single event felt new.

There were many exciting moments from the Olympics this year, but there were a few in particular that stood out. While not the closest match, Djokovic playing Nadal for potentially the final time ever was very cool to see. Djokovic would win, and then go on to defeat Carlos Alcaraz in the gold medal match. For Americans, Team USA Basketball’s run to the gold medal was incredible. After pulling off the most improbable comeback against Serbia, their gold medal game against France came down to the wire. In typical Steph Curry fashion, he could not miss a shot at the end of the game, leading the U.S. to the win.

Since the entire world was changed by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, this year was the first back-to-normal Olympic Games since 2016, and Paris did not disappoint. The opening ceremony on the Seine, the different festivities for the public at Hotel de Ville and the Place de la Concorde, and the Olympic flame balloon near the Louvre will be hard to forget. The 2028 games are headed to Los Angeles and this city will have a lot of expectations to live up to. More sports will be added to the Olympic roster and some will be removed (breakdancing anyone?). The traffic of LA will be interesting for Olympic fans to navigate without a reliable public transportation system. But in the end, the closing ceremony with a shot of the Olympic Rings within the Hollywood sign shows that maybe LA has what it takes to make the 2028 games a huge success with a unique American flavor.

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!

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.

2. 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.

3. 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.

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.