back Page 63 - Sports News, Headlines & Highlights

The road to the next title keeps getting tougher for Pat Mahomes and Co.
I’ll admit it. I jumped the gun. The overwhelming reaction to the Chiefs victory over Buffalo in the AFC Divisional Round had me thinking of a much bigger picture than I should have. It’s a fact that at their best, Kansas City can beat anyone because when it’s clicking, no one slows down Patrick Mah...

Rafa Nadal had just enough
Whether Rafa Nadal likes it or not, and he probably doesn’t mind because he seems an amiable sort, he’ll be more closely linked to Roger Federer than Novak Djokovic. It was Federer who was unchallenged for years until Rafa built a base on clay, and then slowly ate into his advantages on grass (beat ...

Jimmy G repays Deebo Samuel’s praise with hospital pass
If you’ve tuned into sports media at all over the last couple of weeks, you’ve undoubtedly heard the barrage of criticism being hurled at Jimmy Garoppolo, the San Francisco 49ers’ quarterback. It’s arguably been more criticism than any quarterback has faced amidst back-to-back playoff wins. It has b...

The lower 28
There are 28 NFL teams not playing this weekend, which means there are 28 teams trying to figure out how to get to where they want to go: the Super Bowl. Some, naturally, have better ideas about it than others....

Jeff Garcia goes after Mina Kimes in rant straight out of 1995
I thought we, as a sports community, were moving away from the “You didn’t play the game so you can’t comment on it,” way of thought. Maybe that’s just my echo chamber that doesn’t include a voice like former NFL quarterback Jeff Garcia....

Try shooting free throws with THIS in the background
Concentration is key to performing at peak potential in sports. When shooting free throws, many players have rituals they undergo before attempting their shot. Steve Nash is one of the greatest free throw shooters of all-time — posting a career percentage of 90.43 percent. His ritual consisted of mi...

Let both offenses touch the ball in playoff overtime
I feel like we have this conversation every other year. When a beloved team loses in overtime without their offense ever taking the field, NFL fans get divided into two extreme camps. ...

An older, more economical Rafa Nadal can still fight
Because he’s five years the junior of Roger Federer, it’s been interesting to watch Rafa Nadal’s career kind of trail in Federer’s wake and how much it follows this same path. At 35, much like Federer did at age 35, Nadal entered this Australian Open off a huge injury layoff, as he didn’t play after...

Sunday had the best and worst the NFL has to offer
I doubt there will come a day when we regard the number of successful two-minute drills that a quarterback has authored as something all that special. It won’t ever become like pitcher wins in baseball, something we completely disregard now. The NFL and those who cover it will always pump it up to u...

Hamilton vs. Hutchinson/Thibodeaux is this year’s Chase vs. Sewell
When a team has as many holes as the Jacksonville Jaguars and is in rebuild mode, it can be difficult to determine who to take, not because of talent level, but because certain positions are more vital to a rebuild than others. Obviously, the most important position for a successful rebuild is quart...

Judging your QB by Instagram followers is just sad
Bears quarterback Justin Fields finished the regular season with a 2-8 record as the team’s starter. He threw 7 touchdowns and 10 interceptions, completing just 58.9 percent of his passes and averaging just 6.9 yards per attempt. ...

It’s been a rough year in Chicago, NFL award voters, give Bears fans a hug and give Roquan Smith some love
I don’t know if anyone knew this, but the 2021 season was a rough one for the Chicago Bears. They finished with their worst record since 2017. Of course playoff hopes being extinguished before the fire ever got to really burn will anger any fanbase, but it’s not like a double-digit loss season is un...

Let’s use the Girlfriend Transfer Portal Theory to figure out where Caleb Williams is headed
The transfer portal is college football’s most controversial, unpredictable, and ever-changing tool. After a 2021 rule change that eliminated the requirement for transferring athletes to sit out a year before being eligible to play again, this postseason portal activity is exploding....

Changes are coming to the NFL scouting combine that are long overdue
Today is one of those days in which the NFL has made a good decision. It doesn’t happen often. The decision to add an extra game to the schedule in a sport that can cause brain damage, during a world-wide pandemic, might be a short term financial win, but it’s making the product worse and is ethical...

High-profile QBs hitting the college transfer portal
In 2019, The Athletic reported that there was a 75 percent chance that a top-50 quarterback recruit would transfer schools if he didn’t see playing time in his first two seasons. And if he did see playing time — still a 45 percent chance he would choose to move elsewhere. The college quarterback eco...

Memphis Basketball is on pause with unvaccinated players — don't be like them
As the omicron variant is ravaging the globe and putting the sports world in a submission hold that Bob Backlund would be proud of, it feels like we’re destined for another shutdown. But, while some schools, conferences, and leagues are trying their best to go about this in a smart and safe way, the...

Stats don't lie: Tua is one of the most accurate quarterbacks in the NFL
Miami Dolphins’ quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has not played poorly in his NFL career. He’s got a 10-7 record as a starter and, believe it or not, he recorded the 10th-highest passer rating for a qualified rookie quarterback since 2000 last year. Despite those numbers though, when compared to the two q...

For Your Consideration: Pollard over Elliott for the Pro Bowl
Pro Bowl voting has been underway for some time now, and it closes...*checks notes*... TOMORROW NIGHT! Well, I hope you all voted your hearts out while you still had an opportunity. If you haven’t though, you might want to throw your two cents into the Pro Bowl fountain if you’d like to see your fav...

I can’t be the only one who thinks the Giants are an odd choice for Russell Wilson
Per reports, Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson would strongly consider waiving his no-trade clause for the New Orleans Saints, Denver Broncos, or New York Giants. ...

New NIL program gives Texas O-linemen big paydays
The saying goes “Everything is bigger in Texas.” Well, with a new NIL program set up by Texas nonprofit organization, Horns with Heart, some of the biggest people in Texas will be doing much better financially....