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Archives for December 2024

NBA Christmas Day Round-Up

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SAN FRANCISCO – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – LA’s Austin Reaves drove for a go-ahead layup with one second left to cap a triple-double, LeBron James added to his Christmas Day lore with 31 points and the Los Angeles Lakers overcame an injury to center Anthony Davis to outlast the Golden State Warriors 115-113 on Wednesday night in the Bay Area.

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Despite losing Davis for good to a twisted left ankle in the eighth minute of the game, the Lakers held the upper hand for almost the entire final three quarters, leading to a fourth win in five games.

The Lakers led 109-100 with 1:30 to go before Stephen Curry nearly stole the show. The Warriors star scored eight points in a 13-4 run, burying a pair of improbable 3-pointers in the final 12.2 seconds, including a game-tying 31-footer with 7.6 seconds left.

Reaves wound up with 26 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists, and James had 10 assists, too. Curry logged a game-high 38 points, a majority of which came on eight 3-pointers, tying the NBA record for a Christmas game.

Timberwolves 105, Mavericks 99

DALLAS – Anthony Edwards scored 26 points and visiting Minnesota beat the Mavericks, playing the second half without star Luka Doncic after he sustained a left calf strain late in the second quarter.

Doncic suffered the non-contact injury with 2:31 left in the second quarter and went straight to the locker room. The guard had 14 points in 16 minutes for the Mavericks, who were trailing 51-38 at the time of his injury.

Dallas fell behind by as many as 28 in the third quarter before mounting a comeback in the final period. The Mavericks cut the deficit to 101-99 on Klay Thompson’s 3-pointer with 1:05 remaining. Kyrie Irving scored 15 of his 39 points in the fourth quarter but missed a 3-pointer that would have given Dallas the lead with 37 seconds left, and Edwards scored on the next possession to give the Wolves a four-point lead.

76ers 118, Celtics 114

Tyrese Maxey collected 33 points and 12 assists to lead Philadelphia to a victory at Boston. The 76ers received 27 points and nine rebounds from Joel Embiid and 23 points from Caleb Martin, who made 7 of 9 3-point attempts.

The Celtics, who trailed by 15 in the fourth quarter, trimmed their deficit to 116-114 with 4.9 seconds to play, but Embiid made two free throws to put the 76ers up by four with 2.8 seconds left. Philadelphia has won six of its past eight games.

Jayson Tatum led Boston in points (32) and rebounds (15). Jaylen Brown added 23 points and seven rebounds, but the Celtics lost a second game in a row for the first time this season.

Knicks 117, Spurs 114

Mikal Bridges outdueled Victor Wembanyama by scoring 15 points in the fourth quarter to lead host New York to a comeback win over San Antonio.

Bridges and Wembanyama combined to score 26 points in a fast-paced fourth quarter in which the teams combined for 60 points while shooting a collective 54.8 percent (23-for-42). Bridges finished with a season-high 41 points — the second-most by a Knicks player on Christmas Day behind Bernard King’s 60-point effort in 1984. Wembanyama had 42 points, 18 rebounds, four assists and four blocks in his Christmas Day debut.

Miles McBride hit the tiebreaking 3-pointer with 2:43 left to give the Knicks the lead for good as the hosts won their season-high fifth in a row and improved to 15-4 since Nov. 15. Jeremy Sochan had 21 points and nine rebounds for the Spurs.

Suns 110, Nuggets 100

Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal scored 27 points apiece and the Phoenix Suns avenged a one-sided loss at Denver earlier this week with a solid 110-100 victory over the visiting Nuggets on Wednesday night.

Tyus Jones added 17 points on 7-of-9 shooting and Monte Morris scored 11 off the bench for the Suns, who halted a three-game losing streak. Jusuf Nurkic collected 13 rebounds to go with eight points and six assists, Durant added six assists and Beal had four steals for Phoenix in the Christmas night affair.

–Field Level Media

Ravens Look Sharp with Jackson

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HOUSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Baltimore QB Lamar Jackson set an NFL record, RB Derrick Henry achieved a single-season franchise mark and the visiting Ravens moved into first place in the AFC North with a 31-2 rout of the Houston Texans on Wednesday.

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Jackson rushed for 87 yards, including a 48-yard touchdown run in the third quarter, to give him 6,110 rushing yards for his career. That’s one more than Michael Vick, making Jackson the all-time leader in career rushing yards by a quarterback. Henry rushed for 147 yards and a score on 27 carries, giving him 16 touchdowns for the year, the most for a single season in team history.

His performance helped Baltimore (11-5) take a one-game lead on Pittsburgh with one week left in the season. The Ravens can clinch the AFC North title next week with a home win over Cleveland.

Jackson completed 10 of 15 passes for 168 yards with two touchdowns and another 87 yards on the ground with the score as Baltimore earned a 432-211 advantage in total yardage. The Ravens collected five sacks and came up with a goal-line stand in the second quarter with the game still up for grabs.

C.J. Stroud hit 17 of 31 attempts for 185 yards with an interception for Houston (9-7), which lost its second straight game and is now locked into the No. 4 spot for the AFC playoffs.

Henry initiated the scoring at the 10:08 mark of the first quarter on a 2-yard touchdown run, capping a 75-yard drive. Baltimore made it 10-0 the next time it touched the ball as Justin Tucker drilled a 52-yard field goal with 2:47 to go in the first.

The Texans got their only points with 10:09 left in the first half when Kamari Lassiter tackled Henry in the end zone for a 4-yard loss and a safety. Houston had a chance to score a touchdown on the ensuing possession but Joe Mixon was stopped at the 1 on a fourth-and-goal pass.

Baltimore sailed 99 yards down the field on its next possession, with Jackson throwing a 9-yard strike to Isaiah Likely with 1:51 remaining for a 17-2 halftime lead.

The Ravens made it a rout in the third quarter on Jackson’s long scoring run and his 1-yard touchdown pass to Mark Andrews at the 5:50 mark.

–Field Level Media

Chiefs Lock AFC No. 1 Seed

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PITTSBURGH – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes passed for 320 yards and three touchdowns and the Chiefs clinched home field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs with a 29-10 victory over the host Pittsburgh Steelers on Wednesday.

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KC’s Travis Kelce became the third tight end in NFL history to reach 1,000 career receptions and also took over the franchise lead with his 77th career touchdown catch. Xavier Worthy and Justin Watson also caught scoring passes and Kareem Hunt rushed for a touchdown for the Chiefs (15-1) during the Christmas Day affair.

Pittsburgh’s Russell Wilson completed 23 of 37 passes for 205 yards and one interception as Pittsburgh (10-6) failed to clinch the AFC North for the second straight game. The Steelers have lost three consecutive games.

Mahomes was 29-of-38 passing while helping the Chiefs win their sixth straight game. Kansas City also set a franchise record with its 15th victory.

Kelce had eight catches for 84 yards to raise his career receptions total to 1,004. Pro Football Hall of Famer Tony Gonzalez (1,325) and Jason Witten (1,228) are the only two tight ends with more catches.

Ironically, it was Gonzalez’s franchise record for receiving scores that Kelce broke. He celebrated by doing Gonzalez’s signature dunking of the football through the uprights. Gonzalez was a college basketball player in addition to being a star football player.

The Chiefs racked up five sacks and thrived defensively without star tackle Chris Jones (calf).

Kansas City led by six at halftime and increased the lead to 16-7 on Harrison Butker’s 32-yard field goal with 12:21 left in the third quarter.

The Steelers responded with Chris Boswell’s 36-yard field goal to move back within six with 5:45 left in the quarter.

Kelce’s 1,000th grab was a 19-yard gain late in the third quarter and helped set up Hunt’s 2-yard touchdown run to start the fourth quarter. The two-point conversion pass failed and the Chiefs settled for a 22-10 advantage.

On the next possession, Kelce caught a 12-yard scoring pass with 12:38 remaining in the game to increase the margin to 19.

Mahomes threw two first-half touchdown passes as Kansas City held a 13-7 halftime lead.

On the first one, Worthy lined up in the backfield and flared into the left flat to catch a 7-yard scoring pass. His celebration drew a 15-yard penalty, and Butker’s ensuing 48-yard extra point was wide right.

Later, Mahomes tossed a 11-yard touchdown pass to Watson with four minutes left in the opening quarter. Mahomes also teamed up with Watson on a 49-yard play earlier in the drive.

The Steelers got on the board with 10:28 left in the half when Wilson scored from the 1 by barely getting the ball across the goal line at the left pylon.

–Field Level Media

TL’s Sunday Sports Notes | Christmas ’24

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By TERRY LYONS, Editor of Digital Sports Desk

Merry Christmas ‘24 to all who celebrate the day. To others, this columnist wishes you sincere best wishes and joy for 2025 with peace during the holiday(s) you celebrate.

A sincere wish for Peace on Earth for all of us while we live our lives conveying Goodwill Towards Men (and women)!

As in years past, this Christmas-themed column carries the torch of the legendary writings of the late, great Shelby Strother. Later in the column, we’ll take a look back at 2024 with a week-by-week listing of what was covered by While We’re Young (Ideas).

I hope you enjoy this tradition.

Let’s get to it.

Each Christmas Day Contains the Past, Present and Future

By SHELBY STROTHER

It did not matter that the wind-chill was life threatening. It was Christmas morning, and a bright sun stabbed the frozen land. And children were playing.

The decision over which to play with – the official World Cup soccer ball or the Turbo Football – never materialized. With all the snow, a soccer match was out of the question. So spirals of pink and black performed in the most sincere imitations of Rodney Peete and Joe Montana floated back and forth in the yard.

What a nice sight.

The Annual Second Chance is near – it’s called New Year’s Eve. It is the window of opportunity where the hopes and fears of all the year (not to mention the mistakes) can be erased.

But Christmas Day is a time of reinforcement and the essence of tomorrow. And children playing with toys are the finest examples of what that tomorrow looks like.

I look out the window. I’ve been in that yard. All young boys have. Sports become such a part of childhood. Santa is aware of all of this, naturally.

This particular day is exquisite, I think to myself. I take personal inventory, not only of blessings and personal satisfaction, but of the presents of Christmas past. Still the kid, I suppose.

I got my first basketball when I was six. I made my first basket a year later. There was a tetherball set; I must have been eight. And a football helmet when I was ten. A Carl Furillo model baseball mitt at eleven. There were tennis rackets and fishing poles and boxing gloves and shrimp nets and a Mickey Mantle 32-inch Little League bat and one time, even a badminton set.

Every Christmas, I’d play out my dreams and my mind would fly over the rainbow, imagining my propulsion. Of course, I would become a major-leaguer, an All-Star, an all-time great, a Hall of Famer. We all would. My vision extended well beyond the day.

My athletic ability, alas, never kept stride. It was not the worst realization I would ever make.

But I have noticed a direct correlation between Christmas gifts and sporting dreams. The dreams are for the young. So are the gifts. Usually, the two disappear in unison. The rare few who project into greatness discover they do not need imagination to make those lofty flights of fantasy. Hope is not the co-pilot. Expectation is.

It must be a wonderful view.

I was thinking about all of this when another memory nudged me. My 17th Christmas I got a typewriter.

It was about the same time that I’d maneuvered my fantasy a few extra miles. I’d received a baseball scholarship to pitch at a small school in Florida. There were other opportunities, other colleges available. But none that would allow my athletic vision to continue.

I had expected a Christmas of more games in the yard. More dreams to celebrate. I got a typewriter instead.

“What am I going to do with a typewriter?” I asked.

My mother said I’d need it for college. But she also said, “Sometimes you get too old to play games. But you never get too old that you can’t use your imagination.”

Sometimes Christmas is taken for granted. Almost always, in fact. I think Christmas music, and I hear bells. I turn on the radio and I hear someone named Elmo and Patsy lamenting their grandmother’s head-on collision with a reindeer. I think of the meaning of Christmas, and I think of the most special birthday in the history of the world. But I turn on the TV and there are all these Claymation raisins doing Doo-Wop homages to the joys of buying machines wherein a microchip can seize command of entire generations.

Christmas (will soon) be gone, 364 days to go. But children still play. They chase the wonderful image of themselves as they would like to be seen. Christmas is their favorite arena. But they settle for lesser stadia.

But remember this – the present is sometimes confused with the package it comes wrapped in. Sometimes the gift is simply the freedom to imagine. There may be no greater one.

It was a great typewriter. I still play with it.

– A column by Shelby Strother

HERE NOW, THE NOTES: Let’s take a look back at 2024 with Part One to follow starting today, and Part Two to come in next week’s missive. Here’s January to June 2024:

Part One – January 2024

Jan. 7th:

The PWHL Begins; The politics of Pro golf; PGA Tour Top 20 Players; NCAA TV Deal

Jan. 13th:

Bill Belichick saga; Jerod Mayo named Patriots head coach

Jan. 21st:

Celtics (20-1) at home; RIP Bud Harrelson; Sports Illustrated ^ sold (again)

Jan. 28th:

AFC/NFC Champ Sunday; BC vs. BU (ice hockey); Red Sox Truck Departs Fenway

February 2024

Feb. 4th

BIG EAST Update; 2024 NHL All-Star Weekend; Connor McDavid

Feb. 11th

Super Sunday (KC); NFL Honors (MVP Lamar Jackson); Super Menu; Clipped

Feb. 18th

NBA All-Star Weekend and Mac McClung; NBA All-Star ‘92 with Magic Johnson

Feb. 25th

Summer of ‘69 … From the Earth to the Moon; St. John’s Rick Pitino Meltdown

March 2024

March 3rd

March Madness; MIT Sloan Sports Conference; Hockey East; UConn Hoops

March 10th

MLB Spring Training & Seoul Game; The PLAYERS; Hockeyville, USA

March 17th

☘️ St. Patrick’s Day ‘24; BIG EAST at MSG; NYK St. Patrick’s Day tease

March 24th:

BC v. BU in Ice Hockey; National PUPPY Day ‘24; Irish Hurling

March 31st

MLB Regular Season; Predictions; UConn Dominating

April 2024

April 7th

Fenway Park; Basketball Hall of Fame Class; Caitlin Clark

April 14th

Boston Marathon/Patriots’ Day; Macklin Celebrini/Hobey Baker; Masters

April 21st

WNBA; Comparisons Miss the Facts; Scottie Scheffler Making History

April 28th

RIP St. John’s & ESPN’s Howie Schwab | The Who for Howie

May 2024

May 5th

FIBA Hall of Fame; The UFL; NBA’s Best Scorers Exit the Playoffs

May 12th

The NBA Draft Lottery; Thank you Mike Gorman; MLB Prospects

May 19th

Ice Hockey World Championship; ‘24 PGA Championship/Scheffler Arrested

May 25th/Memorial Day

The Sky is Falling at TNT; NLL Finals; 2024 Sports Emmy Awards

June 2024

June 2nd

Rest in Peace – Bill Walton (1952 – 2024) – Grateful Dead Tribute at The Sphere

June 9th

NBA Finals in Boston; Hockey’s Four Nations tournament

June 16th

Memorial tribute to Jerry West (1938 – 2024); Most Impactful in NBA History

June 23rd

The 2024 Travellers Championship; PGA Tour Update; Future CFB Playoffs

June 30th

The Greatest Things of Summer; BC Swimming/Dara Torres Hired to coach

TIDBITS: As the year comes to a close, it’s always fun to look at some sports business facts and figures, complete with a peek at the NBA team valuations provided by dear friends at Sportico. Each year, Sportico does a great job with the valuations of the major North American sports leagues. To see the full listing and the archives of others, you’ll need to subscribe (it’s a great value). Here? We’ll look at the Top 10:

  1. Golden State Warriors … $9.14b
  2. New York Knicks … $8.3b
  3. Los Angeles Lakers … $8.07b
  4. Brooklyn Nets … $5.7b
  5. Los Angeles Clippers … $5.68b
  6. Boston Celtics … $5.66b (team is for sale)
  7. Chicago Bulls … $5.56b
  8. Miami Heat … $5b
  9. Houston Rockets … $4.77b
  10. Toronto Raptors … $4.66b (US)

You’ll note, the Golden State Warriors took over the No. 1 slot previously held by the New York Knicks.

Also of note, the valuations were issued the week before the Dallas Mavericks hired longtime NBA Executive and Hall of Famer Rick Welts as its CEO. With that in mind, Digital Sports Desk estimates the Mavericks valuation improved mightily.

  • Dallas Mavericks (as of December 10, 2024) … $4.46b
  • Dallas Mavericks (as of this Thursday, December 19, 2024) … $5.46b

BOSTON PLAYER SALARIES: Here’s a look at the TOP 10 list of pro players cashing the loot during the 2024 season here in the Boston area:

  1. Jaylen Brown, Boston Celtics … $49,205,800
  2. Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics … $34,845,340
  3. Jrue Holiday, Boston Celtics … $30,000,000
  4. Kristaps Porzingis, Boston Celtics … $29,268,293
  5. Mike Onwenu, New England Patriots … $26,000,000
  6. Rafael Devers, Boston Red Sox … $25,000,000
  7. Drake Maye, New England Patriots … $24,262,100
  8. Trevor Story, Boston Red Sox … $22,500,000
  9. Kyle Dugger, New England Patriots … $21,000,000
  10. Derrick White, Boston Celtics … $18,821,429

THIS JEST IN: Harvard announced its first foray into the land of Name, Image and Likeness (NIL). The press announcement read, “We are excited to announce the launch of Harvard’s One Crimson NIL Exchange platform, designed to connect businesses with our talented student-athletes for Name, Image and Likeness opportunities.

“This platform, powered by INFLCR, offers a streamlined process for businesses to engage directly with Harvard student athletes, facilitating collaborations that can enhance your brand’s visibility while providing our athletes with valuable partnerships.”

YOU CAN’T MAKE IT UP: The FBI arrested and charged Atlanta-based Eugene Toriko travel agency’s CEO Maurice Eugene Smith in connection to the failed George Mason men’s basketball trip to the Bahamas this year. Again, credit to Sportico along with the D-1 Ticker, both reporting that $159,756 designated for accomodations and flights for George Mason’s team were allegedly utilized for private trips to Mexico and Panama. There is a possible 20-year sentence awaiting if convicted of wire fraud.

The complaint was filed this week in U.S. District Court in Virginia. Apparently, none of the money was returned to the school or its athletic department.

Rick Welts Named Mavs’ CEO

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DALLAS – (Staff Report from Official News Release) – The Dallas Mavericks organization has named Rick Welts the new Chief Executive Officer of the NBA franchise, effective Jan. 1, 2025, following Cynt Marshall’s nearly seven-year tenure.

In his remarkable 46-year career in sports and entertainment, Welts has previously held roles as President and COO of the Golden State Warriors, President of the NBA’s Phoenix Suns and WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury, and the NBA’s Senior Vice President, Chief Marketing Officer and President of NBA Properties.

“Inspiring leadership has been a staple of the Dallas Mavericks since Cynt Marshall started leading the organization in 2018 as CEO. I’m extremely proud that her legacy of success and our family’s vision for the future of this franchise will soon be in the hands of another great leader,” said Mavericks team Governor Patrick Dumont. “Rick Welts is among the most successful executives in the history of the NBA and a member of the Hall of Fame. To have him join us as we continue to build on the successful history of the Mavericks is a clear signal that this organization is serious about both growing its position as an elite NBA team and further positioning the franchise among the most popular sports teams in the world.”

“The chance to lead this organization in this city at this time is both incredibly exciting and unexpected,” said Welts. “I appreciate Patrick’s confidence in selecting me to build upon the culture and success that Cynt Marshall and Nico Harrison have created. My long-standing friendships with them both give me a lot of confidence in accepting this opportunity. I can’t wait to get started learning all I can about Dallas and how best to serve our fans and this community.”

“It gives me great pleasure to pass the baton to my friend, Rick Welts. From the day I joined the Mavs, I’ve benefited from his knowledge and vast experience in the sports and entertainment industry,” said Marshall. “I love our team so much and I’m happy that they will be in such great hands. There is no doubt that Rick and his family will embrace and enjoy the wonderful fans, employees and communities in Dallas.”

Welts began his NBA career as a ballboy with the SuperSonics in 1969 at the age of 16 and, a decade later, was a part of the franchise’s lone NBA championship in 1979 as its public relations director. During his 17 years with the NBA league office in New York, Welts’ notable accomplishments included the creation of NBA All-Star Weekend in 1984 and the marketing program for USA Basketball’s Olympic “Dream Team” in 1992. Along with (former WNBA President and current BIG East Commissioner) Val Ackerman, he was named “Marketer of the Year” by Brandweek in 1998 for his role in launching the WNBA.

Greek Freak was Out in Vegas

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LAS VEGAS – Milwaukee’s Giannis “Greek Freak” Antetokounmpo scored 26 points, grabbed 18 rebounds and dished 10 assists and to lead the Milwaukee Bucks to the 2024 Emirates NBA Cup title with a 97-81 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday.

Milwaukee became the second winner of the Cup, following the Los Angeles Lakers’ championship in the inaugural tournament last season.

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Damian Lillard added 23 points for the Bucks.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder with 21 points but shot just 8-for-24 from the field, including 2 of 9 from 3-point range. Jalen Williams added 18 points on 8-of-20 shooting, while Isaiah Hartenstein added 16.

Lillard gave the Bucks an 11-point lead by draining one of his signature long range 3-pointers with 9:08 remaining in the third quarter. The bucket came directly following back-to-back technical fouls on Thunder forward Luguentz Dort and coach Mike Daigneault, leading to two free throws that Lillard sank.

Antetokounmpo scored 14 points in the first half and Lillard chipped in 12 as Milwaukee led 51-50 at the break. Hartenstein paced the Thunder with 14 points on 5-of-5 shooting in the half, despite earning a technical foul after a dust-up with Bucks guard Andre Jackson Jr. Neither team was able to extend the lead to more than five points in the second quarter as the Bucks outscored the Thunder 24-22.

The Thunder opened the game on a 16-9 run, forcing the Bucks to call timeout after 4 1/2 minutes. Lillard promptly answered, scoring seven of Milwaukee’s point Bucks as they went on a 13-4 run to take their first lead with 3:26 remaining in the first quarter.

Oklahoma City held a 28-27 advantage going into the second, in part because of a go-ahead 3-pointer by Gilgeous-Alexander with 1:22 left in the quarter.

Milwaukee made 34 of its 81 attempts (42 percent) from the field for the game, shooting 17 of 40 (42.5 percent) from 3-point range. The Bucks outrebounded Oklahoma City 52-43 and led by as many 20 points in the second half.

The Thunder shot 29 of 86 (33.7 percent) from the field, making only 5 of 32 attempts (15.6 percent) from long distance.

–Field Level Media

NFL: Monday Night Football Previews

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MINNEAPOLIS – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – The Chicago Bears didn’t get much of a bounce from interim coach Thomas Brown.

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Brown replaced the fired Matt Eberflus the day after Thanksgiving but instead of a spark, the Bears went to San Francisco and got pummeled by the 49ers.

Minnesota (11-2) welcomes Chicago as the Bears’ losing streak stands at seven games entering Monday night’s divisional matchup against the red-hot Vikings.

A six-game winning streak has the Vikings on the heels of the Eagles and Lions in the race for NFC homefield. Minnesota is in the playoffs, clinching a spot with the Seahawks’ loss on Sunday night. Most recently, the Vikings racked up 42 points at home against Atlanta in Week 14.

There aren’t too many venues that can get louder than the U.S. Bank Stadium when the Vikings are playing well.

Look for Minnesota to jump out to a fast start against a Bears team with a first-year quarterback and a coaching staff that’s clearly in a state of flux at this point of the year.

–It’s the coaching, stupid
The Bears’ decision to fire a head coach in midseason for the first time in franchise history indicates just how dire matters had become at Halas Hall.

Eberflus left them with no choice after his in-game blunder against the Lions on Thanksgiving Day, which was laid bare for the whole world to see.

With 36 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter and Chicago trailing 23-20 on Detroit’s 41-yard line, Eberflus opted not to call a timeout on third down following a sack to his quarterback Caleb Williams.

Instead, the Bears wasted 30 seconds trying to get organized at the line of scrimmage, throwing an incomplete pass as time expired. Thus, they were unable to attempt a game-tying 58-yard field goal.

After the game, Bears wide receiver Keenan Allen seemed to not so subtly blame the coaching staff directly, telling reporters, “We did enough as players to win this game.”

In other words, the players were the ones who held up their end of the bargain.

Unfortunately, the debacle against the Lions was just another example of Eberflus being completely beyond his depth as a head coach this season.

Two weeks before the loss to the Lions, the Bears had a chance for a game-winning field goal against the Packers, but instead of running another play to make the kick shorter, Eberflus ran 27 seconds off the clock only for Green Bay to block a 46-yarder.

–Prop pick: Vikings pass-catchers
Jordan Addison lit up the Chicago secondary in the first meeting Nov. 24 with eight catches for 162 yards and a touchdown and then went for 8-133-3 against the Falcons last week.

The Bears might shake things up with Eberflus no longer calling defensive shots, but Chicago sits in the same pick-your-poison predicament with Justin Jefferson opposite Addison. Tight end T.J. Hockenson also had seven receptions against the Bears last month and had 11 catches for 100 yards and a touchdown in two games in this matchup last season.

Quarterback Sam Darnold spreads the wealth in this one with Jefferson and Addison recording six receptions apiece and Addison over 60 yards.

Prop: Two bets parlayed: Addison six-plus receptions, Addison 60-plus receiving yards (+248 FanDuel)

–Bears’ coaches are ill-prepared
Before the Bears canned Eberflus, he fired his offensive coordinator, Shane Waldron. Last season, he fired offensive coordinator Luke Getsy.

Thomas Brown, who took over for Waldron as coordinator, is now the interim head coach.

While the Bears’ performance on the field certainly warranted some change, this revolving door of coordinators and head coaches isn’t particularly beneficial for their rookie quarterback.

There are legitimate concerns about their coaching staff’s ability to prepare midweek and devise a plan in the early stages of a game.

Of all 32 teams, the Bears average the third-fewest points in the first half, 7.4, and when they’re on the road, that average drops to 4.7.

Given their coaching carousel and staff members being elevated into new positions to fill a void, one can only wonder if there’s a lack of quality due to inexperience.

And with the Bears yet to cover the first-half spread in all six road games this season, it’s difficult to see them turning the tide on Monday night against a quality Vikings team.

Best bet: Vikings 1H -3.5 (-115 DraftKings)

– Field Level Media

NFL: Monday Night II

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LAS VEGAS – Kirk Cousins’ performances are spiraling downward, and so are the Atlanta Falcons’ playoff hopes. The Falcons badly need a bounce-back effort from the veteran quarterback on Monday night when they visit the Raiders in Sin City.

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Atlanta (6-7) has lost four straight games to fall into second place in the NFC South behind the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-6).

Cousins has been a major factor in the skid, throwing eight interceptions without a touchdown. Six of the picks have come in the past two games.

Falcons coach Raheem Morris said Thursday he has faith in the 36-year-old quarterback.

“You’ve got to believe and you’ve got to have the resolve to be able to stick and stay steady-handed by a guy that you believe in,” Morris said. “I don’t want to be like some organizations who make harsh decisions or critical decisions on your critical decision makers when they fail you or they make mistakes. I just feel like it’s our job and my job to back (Cousins) at the highest level.”

Cousins was intercepted seven times in the first nine games this season before the recent slump. He threw four touchdown passes on two occasions and tossed three another time as the Falcons ran out to a 6-3 start.

Then the caliber of his play dropped; Atlanta is averaging just 14.3 points during the four-game losing streak.

That has led to calls for the Falcons to turn to rookie quarterback Michael Penix Jr., the No. 8 overall choice in this year’s draft.

It also is causing Cousins to study everything to see what he can do differently as he looks to lead Atlanta to its sixth straight head-to-head victory over the Raiders.

“You certainly have a process that’s worked and has enabled you to play well, so you trust it,” Cousins said. “I think it’d be foolish, though, to just blindly stick to something even when there’s clearly a fundamental you need to improve on.”

Meanwhile, the Raiders (2-11) are hoping quarterback Aidan O’Connell will make a swift recovery to play against Atlanta.

O’Connell left Las Vegas’ 28-13 road loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last week and was diagnosed with a bone bruise in his left knee.

He was one of four Raiders to miss practice on Thursday, but he was taking an optimistic approach about playing Monday night.

“Yeah, I’m hoping to get there,” O’Connell said Thursday. “Obviously, we’ve got a longer week this week, which helps, and so just really taking it day by day. Obviously, not something I’ve been through with this particular injury.”

O’Connell was concerned when he was injured and just as bummed out about having to be carted off the field.

“Yeah, just not a super fun experience overall, and wish it didn’t come to that, wish it didn’t happen that way,” O’Connell said. “It definitely hurt on the field, of course. And then my knee wasn’t responding how the doctors hoped it would. And so, yeah, you definitely fear the worst.”

Las Vegas has lost nine straight games since last winning on Sept. 29. The Raiders have nothing to play for as a team, but that’s not the case for O’Connell, who would like to show the franchise he can be the long-term answer at quarterback.

If O’Connell can’t play, Desmond Ridder would start. Ridder, a third-round draft pick by Atlanta in 2022, went 6-7 as a starter for the Falcons last season, 2-2 the prior year.

“Whether it’s against the Falcons or the Titans, it doesn’t matter who it’s against, any opportunity I get to go out there and showcase my talents is an exciting time,” Ridder said.

Star defensive end Maxx Crosby (ankle), defensive tackle Adam Butler (concussion) and cornerback Sam Webb (back) also missed practice for the Raiders on Thursday.

Inside linebacker Troy Andersen (knee) and receiver Casey Washington (concussion) sat out practice for the Falcons on Thursday.

–Field Level Media

Filed Under: NFL

PGA of America Ponies-Up Cash

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BETHPAGE – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Payment packages approved by the PGA of America for United States Ryder Cup participants are set at $500,000, including a $200,000 stipend.

Approved in a vote and confirmed Monday, PGA of America also increased the amount awarded to a player’s charity of choice to $300,000 for the total of $500,000.

Embed from Getty Images

“We added the $200,000 stipend out of respect for the players so the players could have a say in where the money goes,” PGA of America president Don Rea said in a letter to previous Ryder Cup captains. “It’s recognition for all the players have done for the Ryder Cup over the years.”

Every player and team captain Keegan Bradley will receive a $200,000 stipend plus expenses starting at Bethpage in 2025, in addition to the charitable donation. Bradley said he is already committed to donating the full amount, stipend included, to charity.

The rule change has been on the table for months, Bradley acknowledged, and diverts from the rules established in the first Ryder Cup competition in 1927.

TLs Sunday Sports Notes | Dec 15

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While We’re Young (Ideas) | Belichick: We’re On to Carolina

BOSTON – For a lifelong media relations executive, there was nothing more entertaining than watching and listening to Bill Belichick interviews before and after New England Patriots games. It was nothing short of brutal.

Prior to the games, the assembled media would attempt to get a morsel of game preparation from a rock, try to obtain Belichick’s thoughts of the strengths and weaknesses of his upcoming opponent or, at least, a mundane quote about a superstar coming to play the Patriots in Foxborough, Massachusetts.

Paraphrasing here, Belichick would step up to his home stadium podium, complete with Gillette advertising to his back, and he’d speak in a low monotone voice, never providing a syllable of intonation, enthusiasm or maybe tipping his hand on true competitive spirit or rivalry. It would be something along the lines of:

“Great football team and a great organization. Very well-coached club. Strong offense. Strong defensive unit. Great secondary. They’re good in all three phases of the game. We’ll need to coach better. The players need to prepare this week, play better, harder. We can’t let down at all.”

Nice quote, but when you’re hearing the same exact thing no matter if the Patriots were playing an 0-7 team or a 7-0 former Super Bowl championship team, it got a bit repetitive and utterly ridiculous.

Nope.

Media members assembled, especially those who hadn’t fallen on a sword, would consistently try to re-word a question and come back at Belichick from another angle, maybe citing a specific opponent’s name.

“Great player. We have to defend better.”

Weather conditions? “It’s the same for both teams. Just gotta play.”

The price of tea in China?

“Consistent. Great tea.”

And, my favorite was an answer to a question/statement that went something along the lines of, “You’ve had tremendous games against Peyton Manning in the past. What’s the common denominator in those games and what we’ll possibly see this Sunday?”

Belichick: “Peyton Manning.”

Of course, Belichick’s greatest postgame press conference performance is only rivaled by former Philadelphia 76ers all-star Allen Iverson with his, “Practice. You talkin’ about practice. Not the game.”

Belichick’s “We’re on to Cincinnati” phrase seemed to be on a damn loop. It was so bad, it was great. In fact, it’s the greatest thing to hit Cincinnati since WKRP. And, it was the most ridiculous and horrifying thing to hit Boston since the January 15, 1919 Molasses Flood.

The thing that made me laugh out loud was watching Belichick on the Deflate Gate scandal when he claimed that he wasn’t a scientist nor the “Mona Lisa Vito” of football (which was outright hysterical for anyone who’d seen the motion picture, “My Cousin Vinny.”

Equally mind boggling were the incredible NFL 100 specials, celebrating the NFL’s 100th Season in grand fashion by naming the all-time greatest players, many who Belichick saw play or remembered from his extensive study of the game. Put bluntly, Belichick was “off-the-charts” great in his commentary and his enthusiasm for the project. He knew the documentaries were an ever-lasting legacy, not necessarily of him, but for the NFL. He wanted to do right by the history of the NFL, the legacy players and coaches and he was fantastic. It certianly showed, ‘Hey, he knows how to do it.”

Belichick was also fabulous on the pregame studio show for the Army vs. Navy game played at Gillette Stadium. With the fact his father had coached at Annapolis, Belichick told story after story about growing up watching Navy football.

Why does your favorite column list these great memories of Belichick past? Undoubtedy, you’ve heard or read by now that Belichick was named head coach of the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill, quickly earning a new nickname of “Chapel Bill.” He joins a competitive ACC Conference where he might meet up against former Assistant coach “Chestnut Bill O’Brien” of Boston College. Belichick’s former “right hand man” in Berj Najarian was hired by O’Brien to work in a similar role as he had with the Patriots, acting as Chief of Staff and all-around miracle worker. It will be interesting to see if Najarian takes a drive down I-95 South to re-join Belichick at UNC or if he stays at BC where he’s earned a legion of supporters in the department of athletics. Najarian’s immediate concern is Boston College’s trip to the Pinstripe Bowl in the Bronx and that will come as Carolina heads north on I-95 to the Fenway Bowl. Both games are scheduled for December 28th.

One final note on Belichick is that he certainly “won” his introductory press conference in Carolina, showing his charming, brighter side rather than dour football persona. Big Bill took a nice poke at Duke University, immediately jumping on the basketball-centric rivalry, and he also provided the world with a comment that could’ve only been stated before by the great NY Yankees catcher, Yogi Berra.

Asked about the chance of a return to the NFL sidelines at the first pro job offered, Belichick stated emphatically, “I didn’t come here to leave.”

He later noted that coaching at the college level was “a dream come true.”

Maybe Belichick can begin to build a “Dream Team” at Carolina by checking if UNC basketball great Michael Jordan has any eligibility remaining on the gridiron, rather than the hardwood?

Navy takes the field vs. Army in 2023 at Gillette Stadium (File Photo)

TIDBITS: Army! Navy! USAA! … The San Antonio based savings and investment vehicle for the U.S. military and their families extended its presenting partnership of the Army-Navy game, as reported Friday by SBJ. … This year’s game was played in Landover, MD on Saturday with Navy upsetting and dominating their 125-year rival, 31-13. USAA’s existing deal was set to expire in 2025, and the new agreement establishes the partnership through 2030.

USAA has been the presenting sponsor of Army-Navy since signing the 2009 contest. The Texas-based insurance provider has used 160over90 as its brand sponsorship agency of record since 2011. Army and Navy also announced a 10-year extension of their deal with CBS to broadcast the game last week.

Future Venues for the Army-Navy Game:

  • M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore, MD – Dec. 13, 2025
  • MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ – Dec. 12, 2026
  • Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, PA – Dec. 11, 2027

GREAT CHRISTMAS GIFT for a FRIEND OF PGA Tour GOLF: For any readers who love the follow the PGA Tour or if you have friends/family members who live and die by the Tour, each and every week, this is a special offer just for you for the Holidays. … PGA Tour Brunch is offering a Christmas/Holiday Special from today through January 10, 2025. … That also coincides with PGA Tour Brunch beginning season-long coverage – starting with The Sentry – January 2-5, 2025. … PGA Tour Brunch publishes six days a week (Tuesday is off day) and includes a Wednesday Preview with odds listed. To get your discounted offer, visit HERE.

THIS JEST IN: He’s a rambler, gambler and soon to be diplomat. Houston Rockets team owner Tilman Fertitta, the billionaire and chairman, president, and CEO of dining, hospitality, gaming, and entertainment corporation Landry’s Inc., is reportedly in line to be named the United States Ambassador to Italy.

CBS News first reported that President-elect Donald J. Trump is eyeing Fertitta for the prestigious post. For the appointment to become official, Fertitta would need to be confirmed by the U.S. Senate, figured to be a rubber-stamp manuever.

Fertitta, a resident and native product of Houston, Texas is sometimes referred to as “the world’s richest restaurateur.” Through Landry’s, Fertitta owns more than 600 properties in 36 states with other locations in over 15 countries. His restaurant holdings feature more than 80 different restaurant brands. He also owns and operates numerous gaming, hospitality, and entertainment venues, including the Golden Nugget Casino and hotel brand.

YOU CAN’T MAKE IT UP: Louisiana Tech will replace the Thundering Herd of Marshall in the upcoming Independence Bowl because the Marshall coach (Charles Huff) departed the day after the regular season ended, taking the head coaching job at Southern Miss. and most of his players headed out with him … As of Saturday morning, 36 Marshall players entered the transfer portal, including 29 scholarship players. Louisiana Tech (5-7 in the Sun Belt) will play No. 19 (but most likely falling in the national rankings) Army (11-2, the No. 1 in the American Athletic Conference) on Dec. 28 at 9:15pm. Navy plays Oklahoma in the Armed Forces Bowl on Dec. 27 at Noon ET in Ft. Worth, Texas.

YOU SHOULDN’T MAKE IT UP: The woman who alleged in 2006 that three Duke lacrosse players raped her admitted on a podcast that she fabricated the story. In a podcast interview with the “Let’s Talk With Kat,” Crystal Mangum said she lied about the crimes she accused three Duke athletes of committing at a party in 2006. The three were declared innocent in 2007 when Mangum’s story did not hold up under police and legal examination. … “I testified falsely against them by saying that they raped me when they didn’t and that was wrong,” said Ms. Mangum, now serving a sentence for second degree murder of an ex-boyfriend. … On March 13, 2006, Ms. Mangum worked as an exotic dancer and had been hired to perform at an off-campus Duke lacrosse team party. She told police that she was raped and beaten while trapped in a bathroom. … Since the statute of limitations has passed, there is no further legal recourse for the Duke students to pursue. They had successfully sued the school for improperly dealing with the allegations and the follow-up being botched. … Podcaster Kat DePasquale conducted at the North Carolina Correctional Institution for Women, where Ms. Mangum is currently imprisoned for fatally stabbing her boyfriend. The crime occurred in 2011 and she is eligib le for parole in 2026. … Ms. Magnum’s false accusation resulted in a national news frenzy and proverbial conviction by false public opinion.