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NFL Sports Desk: Bengals Defeat Fins; Miami’s Tua Tagovailoa Injured

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CINCINNATI – (Wire Service Report by Field Level Media) – Joe Burrow passed for 287 yards and two touchdowns and Evan McPherson kicked two fourth-quarter field goals to help the Cincinnati Bengals record a 27-15 victory over the visiting Miami Dolphins on Thursday night.

The Dolphins lost standout quarterback Tua Tagovailoa to head and neck injuries in the second quarter. He was taken off the field on a stretcher and transported to University of Cincinnati Medical Center for evaluation.

Tee Higgins caught seven passes for 124 yards and one touchdown for the Bengals (2-2). Vonn Bell intercepted two passes, Joe Mixon rushed for a score and Hayden Hurst caught a touchdown pass.

Teddy Bridgewater replaced Tagovailoa and completed 14 of 23 passes for 193 yards, one touchdown and one interception for Miami (3-1). Tyreek Hill caught 10 passes for 160 yards for the Dolphins, whose loss leaves the Philadelphia Eagles as the NFL’s lone unbeaten team.

Tagovailoa was sacked by Cincinnati’s Josh Tupou and swung to the ground violently with 5:43 left in the first half. The Dolphins said Tagovailoa was conscious, had movement in all his extremities and would travel home with the team.

Tagovailoa completed 8 of 14 passes for 110 yards and one interception before exiting.

Cincinnati took a 17-15 lead on McPherson’s 19-yard field goal with 12 minutes left to play. He kicked another one three times as long — 57 yards — to give the Bengals a 20-15 lead with 6:13 remaining.

Bell collected his second interception of the game with 3:05 left and returned it 46 yards to the Dolphins’ 45-yard line. Five plays later, Burrow threw a 2-yard scoring pass to Hurst to make it a 12-point advantage with 1:52 to play.

The Bengals scored on the opening drive with Mixon rushing in from the 5.

Jason Sanders kicked field goals of 23 and 48 yards to move Miami within one with 7:31 left in the first half.

Burrow connected with Higgins on a 59-yard pass to give Cincinnati a 14-6 lead with 2:50 remaining in the half. Higgins caught the ball at the 30 and cruised down the left sideline.

Bridgewater flipped a shovel pass to Chase Edmonds on a 7-yard scoring pass with nine seconds left in the half. Sanders clanked the extra point off the right upright, however.

Miami moved ahead 15-14 on Sanders’ 20-yard field goal with 2:30 left in the third quarter. The field goal was set up by Bridgewater’s 64-yard completion to Hill.

NFL Sports Desk: Cowboys Rally in Second Half, Defeat NY Giants

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EAST RUTHERFORD – (Staff and wire Service Report) – Cowboys’ reserve QB Cooper Rush passed for 215 yards and one touchdown and Tony Pollard rushed for 105 yards as the Dallas notched a 23-16 victory over the New York Giants on Monday night.

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Cee Dee Lamb caught one-yard TD Pass with one hand in fourth quarter (Getty Images)

Rush completed 21 of 31 passes and guided Dallas (2-1) to its second consecutive win while starting in place of Dak Prescott (fractured right thumb) for the second straight game. Rush threw the tie-breaking touchdown in the fourth quarter to CeeDee Lamb, who caught eight passes for 87 yards.

Ezekiel Elliott rushed for 73 yards and a touchdown and DeMarcus Lawrence matched his career high of three sacks as the Cowboys defeated the NFC East rival Giants for the 10th time in the past 11 meetings.

Daniel Jones connected on 20 of 37 passes for 196 yards and one interception and added 79 rushing yards for the New York football Giants (2-1). Saquon Barkley rushed for 81 yards and one touchdown.

Dallas took a 20-13 lead on Rush’s 1-yard touchdown pass to Lamb with 8:30 remaining. The two teamed up for a 26-yard pass play to the 1 prior to the score. The Cowboys drove 89 yards on 11 plays.

The Dallas defense then forced a Giants punt, and KaVontae Turpin‘s 28-yard return placed the ball on the New York 35-yard line. The return set up Brett Maher’s 44-yard field goal that made it 23-13 with 5:58 remaining.

New York moved within seven on Graham Gano‘s 51-yard field goal with 3:37 remaining. The Giants had another chance, but Trevon Diggs intercepted Jones and Dallas took over at the New York 29 with 1:11 left and ran out the clock.

The Cowboys out-gained New York 391 yards to 336. Dallas sacked Jones five times.

Barkley gave the Giants a 13-6 lead when he scampered 36 yards for a touchdown with 5:31 left in the third quarter. Barkley started up the middle and veered to his left for the score to cap a six-play, 77-yard drive.

Dallas answered with a crisp nine-play, 75-yard excursion to tie the score on Elliott’s 1-yard run late in the third period.

Dallas struck first on Maher’s 26-yard field goal with 2:09 left in the opening quarter.

The Giants tied the score on Gano’s 42-yard field with 11:17 left in the second quarter. Just over two minutes later, Maher kicked a 28-yard field goal to give the Cowboys a 6-3 advantage.

New York knotted the score when Gano booted a 51-yard field goal with 9:02 remaining in the third quarter.

–Field Level Media

Report Confirms Severe Sprain for Jones

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FOXBORO – The day-after game day tests confirmed that New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones suffered a “pretty severe” high ankle sprain, multiple media outlets reported Monday. Jones is getting a second opinion but the hope is that the injury won’t require surgery.

Patriots head coach Bill Belichick had no update when he met with the media earlier Monday.

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“Just quickly on Mac, really no update on him. We’ll go through the process and see where things are this morning, but nothing definitive at this point,” Belichick told reporters. He added that he would not “speculate wildly” about the status of Jones ahead of Week 4.

After tossing an interception on the final play of the Pats’ 37-26 loss to the Baltimore Ravens, Jones was brought to the ground by Calais Campbell and his ankle got caught under Campbell’s leg. Jones hopped off the field on one foot and was seen grimacing in pain on the sideline.

Jones had to be carried into the locker room and was in visible pain in the Gillette Stadium tunnel. He had completed 22 of 32 passes for 321 yards and three interceptions against the Ravens. He also rushed for 31 yards and a touchdown.

Brian Hoyer is the Patriots’ backup quarterback and 2022 fourth-round pick Bailey Zappe is also on the 53-man roster. New England (1-2) plays at Green Bay (2-1) on Sunday.

Jones Hurts Ankle in Loss: X-Rays Neg

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FOXBORO – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Initial X-rays on New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones‘ left ankle were negative, the NFL Network reported.

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The team will continue to evaluate the injury sustained on the Patriots’ final offensive play of Sunday’s 37-26 loss to the visiting Baltimore Ravens.

After tossing an interception, Jones was brought to the ground by Calais Campbell and his ankle got caught under Campbell’s leg. Jones hopped off the field on one foot and was seen grimacing in pain on the sideline.

Patriots head coach Bill Belichick would not comment on Jones’ status after the game.

Jones completed 22 of 32 passes for 321 yards and three interceptions against the Ravens. He also rushed for 31 yards and a touchdown.

Brian Hoyer is the Patriots’ backup quarterback. New England (1-2) plays at Green Bay next Sunday.

–Field Level Media

NFL DESK: Patriots Downed by Ravens

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FOXBORO – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Lamar Jackson threw for four touchdowns and rushed for another as the Baltimore Ravens held off a late comeback attempt to defeat the New England Patriots 37-26 on Sunday at Foxboro.

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Jackson completed 18 of 29 passes for 218 yards and had 107 yards on the ground on just 11 carries. Mark Andrews had eight receptions for 89 yards and two touchdowns for Baltimore (2-1).

New England cut its deficit to 31-26 after Rhamondre Stevenson’s 1-yard rushing touchdown with 12:39 left to play but the Patriots failed to convert a two-point conversion.

New England (1-2) then turned the ball over on its next three possessions. After throwing an interception on the last drive of the game, Patriots quarterback Mac Jones limped off the field with an apparent left leg injury.

Jones threw for 321 yards and three interceptions on 22-of-32 passing. He rushed for one touchdown. DeVante Parker led all receivers with five catches for 156 yards for New England, while Stevenson and Damien Harris each rushed for one score.

The Patriots burst out of halftime, driving 75 yards in seven plays in just under three minutes to go up 20-14. Harris finished off the march with a 2-yard rushing TD.

Baltimore’s Justice Hill rushed 34 yards to the New England 6 on the ensuing drive, setting up Jackson’s 1-yard touchdown pass to Josh Oliver for a 21-20 Ravens lead. It was Oliver’s first career touchdown.

In the first half, Jonathan Jones intercepted Jackson’s pass intended for Rashod Bateman with 8:12 left in the second quarter and returned it to the Baltimore 32. The Patriots took advantage of the short field as Jones walked untouched into the end zone from 3 yards out for a 10-7 lead.

However, Jackson’s 16-yard scoring strike to Andrews with 30 seconds left in the first half put the Ravens back on top. The Patriots pulled within 14-13 before the break, on Nick Folk’s 50-yard field goal as time expired in the second quarter.

Jackson also connected with Andrews in the first quarter on a 5-yard shovel pass to get Baltimore on the board.

–Field Level Media

NFL Sports Desk: Bills at Dolphins

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Buffalo Travels to Miami for 4:25pm Start

MIAMI GARDENS – As NFL proving grounds go, Tua Tagovailoa and the Miami Dolphins might not get a more tailor-made opportunity to legitimize their fast start than this one.

Undefeated AFC East rivals collide in Miami when the Buffalo Bills roll into Hard Rock Stadium after wrecking the Los Angeles Rams and Tennessee Titans in primetime pummelings by a combined score of 72-17.

The Dolphins are also 2-0, averaging 31 points per game with an offensive arsenal that believes it could be ready to measure up with Bills quarterback Josh Allen.

“We’ve all been witnesses to, he’s steadily become one of the best players in the National Football League,” Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel said of Allen. “(You could) easily argue he’s the best one. And it’s not because he’s God’s gift. It’s because he’s unbelievably talented. But it’s because you can tell more than that, it’s because he works at his craft. He’s developing every time he’s on the field. He’s a really, really good player that you’ll never, I don’t think, see him stopped necessarily. It’s about minimizing and containing all together.”

The Dolphins have a seven-game home winning streak and enter with one of the more improbable wins in recent memory, rallying from a 35-14 deficit entering the fourth quarter at Baltimore to beat the Ravens 42-38.

Tagovailoa, who threw a pair of first-half interceptions, finished with six touchdown passes and wide receivers Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle each had 11 receptions and two touchdowns with a combined 361 yards through the air.

Checking Hill, the NFL’s leading receiver, and Waddle could fall largely to a pair of rookies for the Bills because Dane Jackson (neck) is out and Tre’Davious White is on the PUP list.

“They do a great job — their receivers — with yards after catch. So our ability to be able to tackle and get guys running to the football is going to be very, very important,” Bills defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier said.

McDaniel said he’ll mention keeping emotions in check with Tagovailoa but not dwell on it. He said they re-lived his second interception against the Ravens and boiled it down to pressing. The critical test in McDaniel’s mind is how quickly a quarterback rebounds from errors.

“If he feels himself pressing, like he did when he threw that second pick, how fast can you get out of that yourself and utilize that whole experience for confidence moving forward,” McDaniel said.

Buffalo packs a streak of its own for the trip to Florida. The Bills have won the past seven meetings with the Dolphins and have surrendered just 8.5 points per game this season.

Lost in the blazing start by Allen and wide receiver Stefon Diggs — 20 receptions, four touchdowns — has been the smothering defense that Miami knows all too well. With pass rusher Von Miller added to the mix, Buffalo can squeeze teams shoved into comeback mode by the Bills’ high-octane offense.

“Regardless if it works or not, you’re going see outside zone. They’re going to play unbelievable strenuous defense,” McDaniel said. “They’re going to play hard and run to the ball. And they’re going to force you into mistakes because they can get home with their four-man rush.”

In addition to Jackson, the Bills also ruled out safety Micah Hyde (neck) and defensive tackles Jordan Phillips (hamstring) and Ed Oliver (ankle) for Sunday’s game.

Tight end Dawson Knox (foot), wide receiver Gabe Davis (ankle), safety Jordan Poyer (foot), center Mitch Morse (elbow) and defensive tackle Tim Settle (calf) were limited in practice Friday. Those five players were listed as questionable for Sunday’s game.

Miami left tackle Terron Armstead (toe), cornerback Xavien Howard (groin), defensive tackle Raekwon Davis (knee) and wide receiver Cedric Wilson Jr. (ribs) are listed as questionable for Sunday’s game. Tight ends Cethan Carter (concussion) and Hunter Long (ankle) have been ruled out for the contest.

–Field Level Media

Filed Under: NFL

NFL Sports Desk: Browns Defeat Steelers

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CLEVELAND – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Jacoby Brissett passed for 220 yards and two touchdowns to help the Cleveland Browns record a 29-17 victory over the visiting Pittsburgh Steelers Thursday night.

Browns running back Nick Chubb rushed for 113 yards and two touchdowns and Amari Cooper had 101 yards and one score on seven catches for the Browns (2-1). Cleveland’s David Njoku had nine receptions for 89 yards and one touchdown.

Mitchell Trubisky passed for 207 yards and rushed for a touchdown for the Steelers (1-2), who lost their second straight game. Pittsburgh’s Najee Harris rushed for 56 yards and a touchdown.

Brissett made his third start of the season in place of Deshaun Watson, who is serving an 11-game suspension for alleged sexual misconduct involving massage therapists. The fill-in QB helped the Browns play turnover-free football while outgaining Pittsburgh 376 yards to 308.

Trubisky completed 20 of 32 passes in his third start after the offseason retirement of Ben Roethlisberger.

Cleveland moved ahead 16-14 on Cade York’s 34-yard field goal with 2:31 left in the third quarter.

The next time the Browns had the ball, they moved 80 yards on 11 plays with Chubb scoring from the 1 to make it a nine-point margin with 9:29 remaining in the game.

Chris Boswell kicked a 34-yard field goal with 1:48 left to bring Pittsburgh within 23-17. The ensuing onside kick went out of bounds.

The Steelers got the ball back for one final play that included laterals. Harris eventually fumbled the ball, and Cleveland’s Denzel Ward recovered in the end zone for a touchdown.

The Browns struck first on Brissett’s 11-yard scoring pass to Cooper with 2:54 left in the opening quarter. The Steelers tied the score on Harris’ 5-yard run on the first play of the second quarter.

Cleveland moved ahead 13-7 on Brissett’s 7-yard touchdown pass to Njoku with 8:58 left, but Ward’s point-after clanked off the right upright. Trubisky scored on a 1-yard keeper with 3:50 left to put Pittsburgh ahead.

Browns linebacker Anthony Walker Jr. was carted off the field due to a left knee injury in the third quarter.

–Field Level Media

TL’s Sunday Sports Notes | Sept. 18

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By TERRY LYONS

BOSTON – This week’s column goes out to the many readers/subscribers who work in the sports industry. They often read this weekly missive seeking sports business news, tidbits from industry conferences and behind-the-scenes insights into newsworthy happenings ripped from the headlines.

Instead of providing 100% sports business news from this week, it’s important to take a step back and realize the real reason many of us dedicate our lives to working in sports and to enhance our love for the game(s). Here’s the real life example and my personal schedule for the weekend:

Friday:

7:10pm – Kansas City Royals at Boston Red Sox: Instead of a usual view of the game from the press box, Friday night was enjoyed with visiting friends from the center field bleachers at Fenway Park, the exact 180-degree turn-around. The Red Sox won, 2-1, despite registering just two hits through seven innings and trailing 1-0 heading into the 8th. In that situation, the Red Sox won for just the fourth time this year and are 4-57. J.D. Martinez hit a two-out, bases-loaded RBI single in the 8th to give the Red Sox their 2-1 lead, much to the delight of the 33,180 fans still standing with me for the come-from-behind Boston victory.

Saturday:

The full day of “Sports for the Fun of It” schedule is provided as this column is being written as the temperatures dip into the high 40s early Saturday morning to accommodate:

9am: Cambridge: Meet-up with the friends to prep for a 10am tailgate in Somerville, Massachusetts leading into the first of three events for the day.

Noon: Trinity College at Tufts in a New England Small College Athletic Conference Division III game, featuring senior TE, No. 85 Thomas Walsh, son of dear friends Nancy and Tom Walsh who made the short trek from New York to watch their son play college football. As a junior, No. 85 led Trinity in yards per reception and was fifth on his team in pass receptions and receiving yards. He opened the game with a 22-yard catch that set-up his teammate William Kirby’s 53-yard run to make it 7-0, Trinity. The Bantams took a 26-3 halftime lead before allowing 20 unanswered second half points to win 26-23. The game was the opener for both the Jumbos and the visiting Bantams.

4:10pm – Kansas City Royals at Boston Red Sox: The Royals and Sox played the second of their three-game set at Fenway. The (70-75) Sox lost to the (58-88) Royals, in a (9-0) ear-slapping, as Boston’s disappointing season creeps towards a close with Boston in the 5th place cellar of the American League East. Kansas City has been mathematically eliminated from playoff contention while Boston is 17 games back from the division-leading New York Yankees. The Sox are 10 games out of a wild card berth, a gap too far to mend.

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7:30pm – Maine Black Bears at Boston College: The (0-2) Bears – losses at New Mexico (41-0) and to visiting Colgate (21-18) – visit The Heights to play the (0-2) Eagles. BC’s suffered through a home loss to Rutgers, 22-21, and on the road at Blacksburg, Virginia where Virginia Tech won the Atlantic Coast Conference battle. Boston College can not afford a loss to Maine and we’ll be in the stands Saturday night as this column is sent to its loyal and fast-growing following. (BC won 38-17).

Sunday:

Early AM: After the temps dipped to the high 40s Saturday, seasonal last weekend of summer weather will return, sending temperature to the low 80s for a day of rest. That means:

Noon: The NFL Today will be on for a good hour or so as the NFL kicks-off its Week Two schedule.

1:00pm: The NFL RedZone will dominate the TV screen, an addictive, all-encompassing look at every NFL game. For those not in the know, the RedZone is the reason NFL game ratings have dipped a bit as fans can watch every single score by every team in the league, sometimes on split screen and sometimes in a ridiculous “OctoBox,” where eight games are on in near postage stamp-sized screens. It’s a fabulous way to keep an eye on every game, rather than the three or four OTA (over-the-air) games assigned to Boston which include New England at Pittsburgh.

8:20pm: Sunday Night Football, Dick Ebersol’s gift to American sports fans who can tune-in this week to the Chicago Bears at Green Bay Packers game. There’s nothing like an NFL “Black & Blue” division game to finish my weekend of “Sports for the Fun of It,” shared here to underline the importance of – sometimes – stepping back to enjoy the games we cover,

HERE NOW, THE NOTES: As you return to our regularly scheduled programming, the subject of the Phoenix Suns and team governor Robert Sarver must be addressed. This week NBA Commissioner Adam Silver held a press conference to announce the findings of an independent investigation into workplace issues in the front office and arena operations for the Phoenix Suns. Formerly a model franchise of the NBA, the investigation by the law firm Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz found that during his time with the Suns and the WNBA’s Mercury, Sarver used the N-word at least five times “when recounting the statements of others.” … The investigation also uncovered “instances of inequitable conduct toward female employees,” including “sex-related comments” and inappropriate comments on employees’ appearances, among other violations of proper workplace culture.

Silver announced a one-year ban and $10 million fine levied on Sarver. The ban requires the franchise owner to refrain from attending any games, practices, meetings and involvement in any basketball decisions for the Suns. Silver made the announcement as the NBA convened a Board of Governors meeting, a regular occurrence in the NBA’s yearly business calendar.

The NBA’s suspension and hefty fine were met with significant backlash by many of the rank and file players and the NBA players association, among others involved with the league. Saturday, the players’ union called for a lifetime ban and Suns sponsor – PayPal – which issued a statement that read: “PayPal is a values-driven company and has a strong record of combatting racism, sexism and all forms of discrimination,” PayPal CEO and president Dan Schulman. “We have reviewed the report of the NBA league’s independent investigation into Phoenix Suns owner Robert Sarver and have found his conduct unacceptable and in conflict with our values.”… “In light of the findings of the NBA’s investigation, we will not renew our sponsorship should Robert Sarver remain involved with the Suns organization, after serving his suspension.”

SportsBetting.ag set odds on whether or not Sarver will be the Suns team owner in 2024, and the outlook isn’t good for the disgraced businessman.

Will Robert Sarver be the Suns franchise owner in 2024?

Yes +200

No -300

This story is in the second quarter, heading downhill. The first quarter was a disaster.

FOLLOW THE BOUNCING BALL: Believe it or not, NBA training camps open this week for teams traveling overseas in the preseason. Here’s a list of key dates for the NBA for the rest of the year:

September 23: First allowable date for players participating in preseason games outside North America to report to their teams (no earlier than 11am local time).

September 24: Training camps open for all teams participating in preseason games outside North America.

September 26: First allowable date for all other veteran players to report to their teams (no earlier than 11am local time).

September 27: NBA training camps open.

September 30: NBA preseason games begin.

September 30 & Oct. 2: NBA Japan Games, Golden State Warriors vs. Washington Wizards (Tokyo, Japan).

October 6 & 8: NBA Abu Dhabi Games, Atlanta Hawks vs. Milwaukee Bucks (Abu Dhabi, UAE).

October 14: NBA preseason ends.

October 17: Rosters set for start of 2022-23 NBA regular season (5pm ET).

October 18: Start of 2022-23 NBA regular season.

October 22: NBA G League Draft.

October 24: NBA G League training camps open.

December 17: NBA Mexico City Game, Miami Heat vs. San Antonio Spurs (Mexico City, Mexico).

December 27: NBA G League regular season begins (32 games per team).

DIAMOND DUST-UPs: First reported by Sportico, the business arm of Major League Baseball is dividing international markets for its franchises, giving baseball clubs new commercial rights in specific areas around the world, according to multiple people familiar with the plan. … Baseball and softball are played by an estimated 65 million people around the world, according to the sport’s international governing body. Large concentrations for baseball exist in parts of Asia, Australia, Europe and South/Central America.

BREAKING – as in REALLY BREAKING NEWS: One of baseball’s best – Atlanta Braves second baseman Ozzie Albies – left Saturday night’s game against the Philadelphia Phillies with a fractured right pinky finger, the team announced.

Albies was injured as he slid into second base in the fourth inning and the most recent setback occurred one day after he was activated from the 60-day injured list. Albies was sidelined because of a broken left foot suffered in June after making an awkward swing.

BY THE WAY: The countdown clock is on its last two weeks for most Fantasy Baseball Leagues. The MLB regular season will come to a close Wednesday, October 5.

LIV SHADE: The LIV Golf circuit displayed quite a bit of cockiness as they gained traction after the PGA Tour Championship and a few more players jumped to the Saudi-funded rival to the PGA Tour. That said, this weekend’s LIV Tournament in Chicago showed one of two major flaws in the new golf entity.

  1. Lack of a Network television deal
  2. Low attendance at events

Those two factors equal a tainted business model for LIV in 2022, but the endless stack of bucks allow for years of “runway” for LIV to land a deal and gradually build an audience.

Phil Mickelson, longtime fan favorite and multi Major champion expressed his views in a Friday interview in Chicago:

“The PGA Tour, for the last 20 or 30 years have had all the best players in the world,” Mickelson said at a Chicago LIV event Friday, reported both Reuters and ESPN. “That will never be the case again. LIV Golf is here to stay.

“The best solution is for us to come together. I think that the world of professional golf has a need for the old historical ‘history of the game’ product that the PGA Tour provides. I think that LIV provides a really cool, updated feel that is attracting a lot of younger crowds,” Mickelson added.

“Both are good for the game of golf and the inclusion of LIV Golf in the ecosystem of the golf world is necessary. As soon as that happens, we all start working together. It’s going to be a really positive thing for everyone.”

Cameron Smith (-10) leads Dustin Johnson (-8) heading into Sunday’s final 18 holes. Johnson won the previous tournament in a sudden death playoff here in Boston. In Chicago, the purse is $20 mil.

This weekend, the PGA Tour was in Napa. So no whining.

NCAA FOOTBALL POWER 12: Now, three weeks into the NCAA college football season, the popular TL Power 12 is back. This list simulates what we’ll see by 2026 when the College Football Playoff system expands.

  1. Alabama
  2. Georgia
  3. Ohio State
  4. Michigan
  5. Clemson
  6. Oklahoma
  7. USC
  8. Oklahoma State
  9. Kentucky
  10. Tennessee
  11. Arkansas
  12. NC State

*Some results not final

NFL POWER 10: Here’s the WWYI power ten for the NFL heading into Week 2:

  1. Buffalo
  2. Kansas City
  3. Tampa Bay
  4. New Orleans
  5. Baltimore
  6. Green Bay
  7. Philadelphia
  8. Indianapolis
  9. LA Rams
  10. LA Chargers

THE SPORTS PROFESSOR: When Rick Horrow, known in sports business industry circles as “The Sports Professor,” first released The Sports Business Handbook at a joint Harvard Law/Harvard Business conference two years ago, it was heralded as the most unique collection of commentary and advice from industry leaders in the $1.3 trillion business of sports.

Digital Sports Desk was at HBS for the launch.

This October, the newly revised and expanded edition of Horrow’s book, The Sports Business Handbook: Insights from 100+ Leaders who Shaped 50 Years of the Industry will be on sale and available for order online. It will have more insights skimmed from many of the sports industry’s brightest minds and influential executives.  It will include guidance for the sports business in a post-pandemic world.

Horrow will co-host a special book launch event – “Sports Business @ 50 Lessons & Leadership from Legends of the Game” – in New York City on Thursday, September 22nd, with former Major League Baseball president and book contributor Bob DuPuy at the offices of Foley & Lardner LLP (90 Park Avenue, New York) from 5:30 to 8:30pm.

Villanova Excels for BIG EAST

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NEW YORK/PHILADELPHIA – (Staff Report from Official News Release) – Villanova University was named winner of the BIG EAST Presidents’ Award for the 2021-22 academic year. The conference honor, which was established by the league’s Presidents in 2015, is awarded to the BIG EAST institution that has excelled at the highest levels in academics, athletics and citizenship during the preceding academic year.

A selection committee of athletic and academic administrators from each BIG EAST institution selected Villanova for the award. Each institution provides the selection committee with comprehensive information that highlights its accomplishments in all three areas.

“Academic and athletic success along with active involvement in local communities are trademarks of BIG EAST institutions, and we congratulate Villanova’s student-athletes for their exceptional performance in all of these areas during the 2021-22 school year,” said BIG EAST Commissioner Val Ackerman. “We commend Father Peter Donohue, Mark Jackson, and Villanova’s outstanding coaches and administrators for their leadership and commitment to develop all sides of Wildcat athletes and to equip these extraordinary young people for success in the adult world.”

“On behalf of the entire Villanova community, congratulations to our student-athletes, coaches, staff and administrators on being recognized once again with the BIG EAST Presidents’ Award,” said University President the Rev. Peter M. Donohue, OSA, PhD. “You continue to be remarkable ambassadors for Villanova by exemplifying our University values in all you do academically, athletically and in the community. Congratulations on this deserving honor.”

“We are incredibly humbled to once again be presented with the Presidents’ Award from the BIG EAST Conference, one of the nation’s premier conferences,” said Vice President and Director of Athletics Mark Jackson. “This honor is shared by our entire campus community, from the unwavering support of President Father Peter Donohue, who steadfastly champions our success to the tireless work of the Villanova Athletics coaches, athletic administration and support staff. However, first and foremost, this award was made possible by our student-athletes, who consistently excel in athletic competition and in the classroom, while also remaining committed to serving the community.”

The following are the highlights of Villanova’s excellence in academics, athletics and citizenship.

Academics – The 2021-22 academic year marked the 18th consecutive year in which the Wildcats’ student-athletes posted a combined grade point average of 3.0 or higher. The overall student-athlete GPA for BIG EAST teams was 3.44 in the 2021 fall semester 3.47 in the 2022 spring. The Wildcats’ graduation success rate was 98 percent.

In all, 228 BIG EAST student-athletes made the Villanova Dean’s List (semester GPA 3.5 or above) in the fall semester and 227 in the spring.

The Villanova Athletic Director’s Honor Roll, which recognizes student-athletes with a 3.2 GPA or above, had 300 student-athletes in the fall and 308 in the spring.

Individually, the 2021-22 senior student-athlete awards presented to the top male and female student-athletes were Matt Campbell in men’s lacrosse and Maddy Siegrist in women’s basketball.

Collin Gillespie was named BIG EAST Scholar-Athlete of the Year in men’s basketball. A total of 45 student-athletes in BIG EAST sports graduated with honors.

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Other individual BIG EAST academic award recipients by sport in 2021-22 included: Maddy Siegrist in women’s basketball, Matt Campbell in men’s lacrosse and McKenna Keegan in women’s cross country/track and field.

Millicent Routledge of women’s swimming and diving won the BIG EAST’s Michael Tranghese Leadership Award.

Softball standout Paige Rauch earned Academic All-America honors from the College Sports Information Directors of America. She is a repeat winner of the accolade.

Team Athletic Accomplishments – In the final year of coach Jay Wright’s tenure, the men’s basketball team made their third NCAA Final Four appearance in the last six seasons while posting a 30-8 record. The Wildcats were also BIG EAST Tournament champions.

The women’s swimming team won its ninth consecutive BIG EAST Championship behind Kelly Montesi, who was named Most Outstanding Swimmer for the third time in her career. Coach Rick Simpson and his staff were chosen BIG EAST Coaching Staff of the Year for the ninth season in a row.

The men’s soccer team earned an NCAA Championship invitation for only the second time in program history and reached the second round.

Women’s basketball coach Denise Dillon was tabbed BIG EAST Coach of the Year as she led the Wildcats to a 24-9 record. The Wildcats were the runner-up in the BIG EAST Tournament and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Championship.

The softball team captured its second straight BIG EAST Championship crown and made the program’s second trip to the NCAA Championship.

The women’s cross country team picked up its sixth BIG EAST title in the last seven years. The men’s and women’s teams featured seven runners who earned all-America honors. The women’s outdoor track & field team posted a top-20 finish at the NCAAs.

In all, 136 Villanova competitors were recognized with All-BIG EAST honors.

Citizenship –- During the 2021-22 academic year, Villanova’s community outreach efforts were a blend of in-person activities along with some performed virtually as the region adjusted to the changing COVID-19 landscape.

Villanova’s Signature Day of Service brought together 4,000 students, including student-athletes, coaches and staff on September 16 in the 16th year of the event. Among the notable contributions by student-athletes were: the women’s tennis team helped make memories with the residents of Divine Providence Village for persons with intellectual disabilities.

Villanova bolstered its educational programs in the areas of diversity and gender equity with a focus on student-athlete belonging and building community. UNITAS sponsored or co-sponsored events with the purpose of Creating a Culture of Belonging, Building Partnerships and Awareness and Education.

Villanova student-athletes participated in 2021 Fall Inclusion Week and co-sponsored DE&I programming with Villanova’s Campus Ministry, the Office of Disability Services and the University Counseling Center. It helped celebrate Black History Month in February and Women’s History Month in March.

The men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams were gardeners at the Skunk Hallow Community Gardens while men’s and women’s basketball led the charge in packing hundreds of items for the Ronald McDonald House in Philadelphia.

The Special Olympics Pennsylvania Fall Festival is a signature event on the Villanova calendar. After over a year and a half pause for in-person activities for COVID, Villanova students, staff and administrators hosted the Special Olympics athletes for competition on campus.

In December, Villanova organized its annual Toy Drive and Adopt-a-Child program. Spearheaded by its SAAC, student-athletes sponsored holiday gifts for 30 children through the North Light Community Center. Toys also were collected at a women’s basketball home game and donated to North Light and other area organizations.

Although COVID-19 impacted some aspects of the annual Martin Luther King Day celebration, Villanova Athletics UNITAS leadership hosted a Winter Apparel and Toiletries Drive at a men’s basketball game. Those items were packaged on MLK Day by the women’s lacrosse team, UNITAS leadership and the MLK Day of Service Committee for a YMCA in Philadelphia that services the homeless population.

In June, Villanova took part in its second annual celebration of Juneteenth. More than 50 student-athletes, coaches and administrators performed service work at Vaux Big Picture High School in Philadelphia.

Villanova added to its programming with “Every Mind Matters,” a group of student-athletes and staff guided by Sports Psychologist Dr. Rick Neff. The meetings focused on all aspects of mental health awareness and education.

Ready Sports Signs Pitt’s Kenny Pickett

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PITTSBURGH – Ready, one of the fastest growing sports nutrition brands in America co-owned by the NFL’s All Pro Aaron Donald and NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, signed NFL first round draft pick and Pittsburgh Steeler rookie quarterback Kenny Pickett as the latest “Ready athlete.”

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Pickett was already quite familiar with Ready having used its products while at Pitt, so the partnership was a logical extension. “Kenny already knew the fueling and recovery benefits of our products from his own experience. We really focus on our mentality and mission; and it became obvious he was a great fit to be a member of the Ready team,” said company founder and CEO Pat Cavanaugh.

Pickett will only promote products he uses during training, its Sports Drink and a few other select products in his various online and non-digital platforms. He joins NFL world champion Aaron Donald, NBA superstar and global basketball icon Giannis Antetokounmpo, and popular American female tennis player Jessica Pegula as Ready brand champions and ambassadors.

Pickett was the 2022 first-round draft pick of the Pittsburgh Steelers after a stellar senior season when he was a Heisman Trophy finalist, first team All-American, and voted ACC Football Player and co-Athlete of the Year while leading Pitt to an ACC Championship.

“Kenny is a great example of continuing to work hard and remembering it’s not where you start it’s where you finish, which is a pillar of the Ready mentality that defines our brand,” said Cavanaugh. “Throughout his career and breakout senior season, he continued to get better and better achieving one goal after the next. He’s just getting started.”