rio Page 99 - Sports News, Headlines & Highlights

These are the holiday films certain NBA fanbases need to watch this season
Christmas is the ultimate overlap of entertainment and sports. The year’s blockbusters are typically reserved for release on Christmas Day, with a slew of big-budget and indie hits releasing all month. Christmas Day sees the league’s best rivalries matched up for primetime holiday viewing. ...

Just in time for the holiday: Athletes you didn't know had their own alcohol brands
There are so many celebrity alcohol brands these days that it’s hard to keep track of. There’s a shocking amount of athletes with their own line of booze. While there’s a handful you probably know, you’d be surprised just how many athletes are behind some of the labels at your local liquor store. Th...

The Orioles should be stocking up for a World Series run, but opt to torture their fanbase instead
Baltimore Oriole fans looking to cleanse their palates of a bitter end to the team’s 101-win season will have to seek out a charcuterie board because the franchise’s big splash at the Winter Meetings is . . . Craig Kimbrel? ...

The dog whistles around Jalen Hurts are subtle, yet deafening
It’s not just what you say, it’s also about what you don’t say — and how you say it. Right now, there are some peculiar things being uttered about Jalen Hurts, and it would be easier if those people would just . . . say it....

Despite Deion Sanders' success, worthy HBCU coaches still aren't getting advancement opportunities
One year ago, Deion Sanders’ swift exit from Jackson State’s sideline brought a swell of attention to HBCU football that hadn’t existed in decades. What it didn’t bring were more opportunities for the coaches who are essentially lifers, no matter how much they’ve proven themselves. Before Sanders to...

Every trade ever made between the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox
Amidst slow winter meetings, two of baseball’s biggest rivals broke the ice by making a rare trade. The New York Yankees acquired Boston Red Sox outfielder Alex Verdugo in exchange for Richard Fitts, Greg Weissert, and Nicholas Judice. ...

Since 2013, 45 percent of Heisman finalists have been QBs of color. That’s progress
You know progress is taking place when things that used to be groundbreaking become the norm. Thankfully, it’s been a long time since Andre Ware was the only one....

David Carr's take on Jalen Hurts was good, until it was terrible
David Carr’s point that went viral on Tuesday was actually an interesting zig. He said on NFL Network’s Total Access that he does not believe Jalen Hurts should continue to play through his knee injury. Hurts is clearly not as mobile as he usually is, and because of that, the Philadelphia Eagles off...

Week 13 NFL Takeaways: A Byemaggedon Sunday still had lots of spice
There is no committee in the NFL that votes on the best team. In the pros, every result actually does matter. To qualify for the NFL’s 14 playoff spots, teams either have to finish atop a division or win enough games to get in as a wild card. While every game counts, there are some, even on the regu...

Golden State’s third quarter super powers are gone and that’s left them mortal
For the second time, this week, the Golden State Warriors went cold in the fourth quarter. Twice this week, the Warriors blew leads of 20-plus points. Against the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday, they played so frantically trying to achieve a +13 points differential in a win that would allow them to adv...

Washington is giving Pac-12 football a beautiful swan song
The finality of the Pac-12 is depressing. The Washington Huskies beat the Oregon Ducks, 34-31, on Friday night, and looked like a title contender doing it. Michael Penix had his full array of receivers, with Jalen McMillan returning to grab nine balls for 131 yards. Husky running back Dillon Johnson...

The week in the NBA: Josh Giddey accusations drama, Ball brothers injury bug, Jason Kidd loses it for no reason
When you continue to embrace a man who reportedly impregnated a 13-year-old when he was in college, and honor that same man regularly by inviting him to marquee league events (like the 2023 All-Star Game) alongside Kareem Abdul Jabbar and LeBron James, it makes it really hard to discipline a current...

We've seen Klay Thompson overcome the whispers that he's washed
The Golden State Warriors should be reeling after squandering a 24-point lead against the Sacramento Kings in their NBA In-Season Tournament’s group stage exit. Yet, they’re oddly sanguine about backsliding below .500 since they launched out of the regular season gates to a 6-2 start. Klay Thompson ...

The NBA In-Season Tournament: Where you can lose and still win
The NBA has really outdone itself this time. This In-Season tournament nobody asked for in the first place has gotten more convoluted as it extends into the later stages. Rewarding teams as they lose is the biggest participation trophy-era thing there could be. Sure, the analytics crowd is juiced ab...

Firing Frank Reich isn't going to fix the Carolina Panthers
In 1995, the Carolina Panthers had the best season of any expansion franchise in the history of the NFL. They went 7-9 during a year in which they did not have a home stadium, and played those eight games at Clemson. The next season they went 12-4 and played in the NFC Championship Game, and the 200...

The Patriots have hit rock bottom
Mac Jones and Bailey Zappe. Maybe the New England Patriots should have called Drew Bledsoe to see if any juice is left in that big arm. It’s not like he was able to move when he was young, anyway....

Today’s NFL is mediocre, Tom Brady? How about the AFC East throughout your career?
Finally, someone out there has the guts to stand up to Tom Brady. Yes he has six championship rings and is the only player in NFL history to reach 600 career touchdown passes. However, that doesn’t make him infallible. After all, his 2007 New England Patriots did pull a 2015-16 Golden State Warriors...

Mac Jones’ confidence lives in the gutters of New England
Mac Jones might be the lowest quarterback currently getting live reps in the NFL. Not from a statistical standpoint, although he isn’t exactly wowing anyone. But watching Jones on the field, it’s painfully evident his confidence is shot. He threw two interceptions in the first half of Sunday’s game ...

The Washington Commanders are still cooking up the Dan Synder-era mess
Josh Harris’ first season of Washington Commanders ownership must feel like Calvin working the WacArnold’s night shift. It seems like a distinguished opportunity at first to own a legacy franchise. Until you start contrasting them against the league’s most respected franchises. Being congratulated o...

Deadspin Dead Ringers: Professional athletes and their celebrity doppelgängers
We’ve all heard of doppelgängers — people who aren’t related but look like one another. There’s a whole subreddit dedicated to finding lookalikes. There was a Saturday Night Live short on the subject. But have you ever looked at one of your favorite athletes, or a player on your favorite team and no...