rb Page 55 - Sports News, Headlines & Highlights

The San Francisco 49ers need to take an improv class
When rolling, the San Francisco 49ers look like they’re never going to lose again. Until Monday night’s loss to the Baltimore Ravens, the Niners were undefeated this season when Brock Purdy, Christian McCaffery, Deebo Samuel and George Kittle are healthy. And it looked as if that trend might continu...

IDIOT OF THE YEAR: The annual descent into madness continues (40-31)
Welcome once again, dearest and most beloved reader, to Deadspin’s vaunted IDIOT OF THE YEAR awards, the global phenomenon in which we say churlish things about people we dislike. Huzzah!...

Let’s hand out some NHL awards. It’s Christmas after all!
Generally, this comes up at the quarter-mark or halfway through the season. But hey, it’s Christmas, so let’s hand out some Christmastime NHL awards just to get into the spirit of the thing! Who is leading in the various categories that the league likes to hand out some weird looking silverware for ...

IDIOT OF THE YEAR: The countdown begins as we look back on 2023 (Nos. 50-41)
Dearest reader! We meet again. It is that time of the year again… uh, namely, the end of the year, when we at Deadspin are proud to present our globally acclaimed celebration of stupidity, IDIOT OF THE YEAR! We’ll be with you as we count down the haughtiest, most hypocritical, and just plain dumbest...

These are the oldest players in NFL history
The NFL is a rough, violent game. The average career length in the modern NFL is just 3.3 years in the league. This is why it’s so impressive to see these NFL legends play so deep into their 40s. How many more names will we see join the ranks of the league’s oldest players in history? ...

Behold: My list of most memorable wrestling matches from 2023
The best time of year, when you get to go back through all the wrestling you watched and definitely not think your life has a sum total of jack and sh*t. Better to focus on trying to get back to the feeling that these matches generated inside of you when you were watching live, because that’s the wh...

May old acquaintance be forgot: The notable athletes who retired in 2023
As the curtain falls on 2023, the sports world bids adieu to a tapestry of legends and underdogs across all sports. We highlighted the legacy names who decided to hang it up in 2023. Many on this list are cemented in record books and in the hearts of their die-hard fanbases. Let’s pour out a drink a...

NFL's and NBC's ploy to get people to watch Saturday’s game on Peacock
The NFL is laying off the commercials for a night . . . game on a holiday weekend that airs on Peacock. The Buffalo Bills-Los Angeles Chargers matchup on Saturday will feature a 40 percent reduction in ads, with zero commercials during the final 15 minutes. Ideally, that’ll be accompanied by a runni...

The Ravens have their bulletin board material ready for their biggest game of the year
One of the biggest Christmas Day showdowns since Shaq vs. Kobe 2004, and Rocky vs. Drago is taking place on Dec. 25, 2023. The No. 1 seed in the AFC — the Baltimore Ravens — is going up against the top NFC seed — the San Francisco 49ers. Personally, I prefer when the NFL does not insert itself into ...

I hope Chris 'Mad Dog' Russo knows he’s in Shaq’s dog house
Chris “Mad Dog” Russo got a little carried away Wednesday on First Take. I know, that is his job on the show. The guy invented sports-talk radio volume. His takes are somehow louder than his voice. In small social media clips, I find Mad Dog entertaining. I even find some of his perspectives on life...

It’s fun to watch MLS get smacked down
We get pretty used to sports leagues doing whatever they want, and whatever they want is usually not in any interest of the fans. It’s almost always about control and profit, which runs in direct opposition to fans’ desire to see competition, accessibility and the game we remember that got us all he...

Devon Toews is not pleased with his Avalanche teammates
Last week, the Colorado Avalanche showed off that despite their warts and occasional hiccup, they still have a gear that few if any other teams can reach (Look at this now!). It looked as if the Avs were kind of picking their way through the regular season and hitting their stride in the spring. Aft...

What Ja Morant did Tuesday night is why I want him to stay out of trouble
What is most important for Ja Morant is to stop moving recklessly in his life. He recently appeared in court for an alleged fight with a 17-year-old. Both times the NBA has suspended him, it wanted him to stop making decisions that are capable of ruining — and possibly ending — his life. All of that...

A Black vs. white NFL game might teach league talent evaluators to give white players a chance at all positions
I do not agree with Rashard Mendenhall, entirely. In my humble opinion, people of all races and ethnicities talk entirely too spicy about professional athletes. No professional is above criticism just because the critic is not one. However, regardless of whether someone can dunk at an open gym or be...
![Derrick Ward pleads not guilty to robbery charges [Updated]](https://images.deadspin.com/tr:w-900/35eadd976059bcfdfbd3eb25ad5d75f8.jpg)
Derrick Ward pleads not guilty to robbery charges [Updated]
Updated Jan. 4: Ward pleaded not guilty to the charges....

The NFL and NCAA football have a coaching-carousel problem
Raise your hand if you weren’t surprised that a Matt Patricia-coordinated defense caved during the waning minute of the Eagles-Seahawks game Monday. Now, keep them raised if you’re not shocked that Matt Nagy and Nathaniel Hackett are struggling to get their respective offenses in rhythm. Alright, to...

This is what happens when you put Matt Patricia in charge
Philadelphia’s newest defensive coordinator is off to a rough start. ...

Drew Lock put on for his city and kept Seattle's playoff hopes alive
They put in Drew Lock and the Mizzou boy went crazy. Philly had nothing for him as he went crazy....

This is what Eagles fans want
We all knew the truth. Eagles fans weren’t comfortable being the swaggering nobility of the NFL, or even the NFC. Oh, they’ll tell you loudly enough when the Birds, or any Philly team, is good. But it’s at such a volume that it’s easy to sense the insecurity hidden within. Maybe they don’t throw bat...

MLS proves once more it is a deeply unserious league
The Friday news dump has been generally found out for what it is. A way for slimy organizations to try to sneak another piece of larceny or incompetence or just generally distasteful act past the goalie of our awareness without the normal level of scrutiny. By now, the actual act of releasing news a...