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Celtics Crush Spurs, Wembanyama

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SAN ANTONIO – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Jayson Tatum poured in 25 points and Jaylen Brown added 24 as the visiting Boston Celtics put away the game in the third quarter of a 134-101 win over the San Antonio Spurs on Sunday.

The Celtics, the No. 1 team in the NBA, won their season-high-tying sixth straight game, while San Antonio, at the bottom of the Western Conference standings, dropped its second consecutive contest.

Boston led by 12 at halftime but pulled away with a dominating third quarter in which it outscored the Spurs 40-23. Brown had 16 of Boston’s points in the period while Tatum added 10, including seven in the final 2:05 of the quarter, after which the Celtics were up 105-76.

Boston cruised in the final period, stretching its lead to as many as 37 as both teams mainly rested their starters.

Derrick White scored 17 points for the Celtics, with Kristaps Porzingis hitting for 14, Luke Kornet producing 12 and Sam Hauser tallying 11.

Devin Vassell led the Spurs with 22 points. Victor Wembanyama added 21 and Malaki Branham had 11. San Antonio played without Keldon Johnson (back spasms) and Zach Collins (sprained right ankle).

Brown’s driving layup with 5:33 to play in the first quarter granted the Celtics a 21-12 lead. Boston was up by as many as 11 in the frame before a 3-pointer by Sandro Mamukelashvili at the 1:32 mark pulled the Spurs within 30-22 after 12 minutes of play.

San Antonio closed the gap to 42-35 just over 3 1/2 minutes into the second quarter on Wembanyama’s pullup jumper. Branham’s three-point play with 5:33 remaining in the quarter got the Spurs to within four before Boston scored the next seven points to move the margin back to double digits at 55-44.

The Celtics pushed their lead to 15 points on White’s 3-pointer with 27.3 seconds remaining and owned a 65-53 advantage at the break.

Tatum led the Celtics with 15 points before halftime while White had 13. Wembanyama paced the Spurs with 15 points and Vassell added 11 in the first half.

–Field Level Media

NFL Round-Up: Ravens, Chiefs Winners

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BALTIMORE – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Ravens QB Lamar Jackson passed for 321 yards and matched his career high of five touchdown passes and Baltimore clinched the No. 1 seed in the AFC with a 56-19 dismantling of the visiting Miami Dolphins on Sunday.

Isaiah Likely had two touchdown receptions and Zay Flowers (106 receiving yards), Justice Hill, Patrick Ricard and Charlie Kolar each had one for the Ravens (13-3). Gus Edwards and Melvin Gordon III each rushed for a score for Baltimore, which has won six straight games and 10 of its past 11.

Roquan Smith and Geno Stone had interceptions for the Ravens, who have won eight games by 14 or more points this season. Miami star linebacker Bradley Chubb was carted off with a potentially serious knee injury with 3:05 remaining.

Tua Tagovailoa completed 22 of 38 passes for 237 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions for Miami (11-5) but sustained an injury to his left (throwing) shoulder. He was injured while sliding during a scramble with 7:55 left and missed the rest of the contest. De’Von Achane rushed 107 yards and caught a touchdown pass for the Dolphins.

49ers 27, Commanders 10

Brock Purdy threw for 230 yards and two touchdowns as San Francisco clinched the top seed in the NFC by beating Washington in Landover, Md.

Elijah Mitchell carried 17 times for 80 yards and a touchdown as the 49ers (12-4) locked down the top record in the conference after losses by Detroit on Saturday and Philadelphia on Sunday. Mitchell took over for Christian McCaffrey, who was sidelined with an ankle injury early in the third quarter after rushing 14 times for 64 yards.

Sam Howell completed 17 of 28 passes for 169 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions for Washington (4-12), which dropped its seventh straight, its longest single-season losing streak since 1998.

Chiefs 25, Bengals 17

Harrison Butker booted six field goals while Isiah Pacheco and Rashee Rice each gained over 100 yards from scrimmage as Kansas City clinched the AFC West with a victory over visiting Cincinnati.

Patrick Mahomes finished 21-of-29 passing for 245 yards and a touchdown for the Chiefs (10-6), who clinched their eighth straight division title. Pacheco totaled 130 yards on 18 carries and had seven receptions for 35 yards and a touchdown, and Rice finished with five catches for 127 yards.

Jake Browning completed 19 of 33 passes for 197 yards. He threw for a TD and rushed for another for the Bengals (8-8), who were eliminated from playoff contention with the loss. Cincinnati led 17-7 in the second quarter before Kansas City scored the final 18 points.

Bills 27, Patriots 21

Quarterback Josh Allen rushed for a pair of 1-yard touchdowns and Buffalo held off a late rally by New England to earn a victory in Orchard Park, N.Y.

The Bills (10-6) will go into the final week of the regular season holding the AFC’s second wild-card berth but not yet assured of a postseason spot. Allen put Buffalo up 27-14 with 10:42 remaining in the third quarter when he snuck into the end zone with the help of a push from running back Latavius Murray.

Ezekiel Elliott rushed for a 6-yard score early in the fourth to pull New England (4-12) within six, and the Patriots ended up getting the ball back with 6:41 left in the game. However, New England failed to get past its 11-yard line, and the Bills then ran out the clock.

Bears 37, Falcons 17

Justin Fields passed for 268 yards and a touchdown and rushed for 45 yards and a score to lift host Chicago over Atlanta.

The Bears (7-9) relied on a balanced attack that outgained Atlanta 432-307 to win for the fourth time in the past five games. Khalil Herbert led the ground game, rushing 18 times for 124 yards and a touchdown.

The Falcons (7-9) lost for the third time in four games as their dim NFC playoff hopes took a hit. Taylor Heinicke finished 10-for-29 passing for 163 yards with a touchdown and three interceptions before Desmond Ridder entered in relief late in the fourth quarter.

Texans 26, Titans 3

C.J. Stroud passed for 213 yards and a touchdown in his return from a two-game concussion absence and host Houston kept its postseason hopes alive by thumping Tennessee.

Stroud completed 24 of 32 pass attempts and tossed a 12-yard touchdown to Brevin Jordan in the second quarter to extend the Houston lead to 10-0. Eight seconds later, the Texans (9-7) produced their first defensive touchdown of the season when Sheldon Rankins returned a fumble by Titans quarterback Will Levis 13 yards for a score.

Levis suffered a right foot injury while being sacked by Jerry Hughes on the play. Levis labored walking to the sideline and was carted to the locker room. Ryan Tannehill replaced Levis and passed for 168 yards. The Texans recorded five sacks of Tannehill while limiting the Titans (5-11) to 187 yards of total offense.

Colts 23, Raiders 20

Gardner Minshew threw for 224 yards and a touchdown while Jonathan Taylor ran for 96 yards and another score as host Indianapolis kept its hopes for an AFC South title alive by beating Las Vegas.

Matt Gay added second-half field goals of 38, 33 and 45 yards as the Colts (9-7) remained in a three-way tie with Jacksonville and Houston in the division. They will have to beat the visiting Texans next week in their regular-season finale and hope the Jaguars lose at Tennessee to claim a division crown.

Aidan O’Connell hit on 30 of 47 passes for 299 yards and two touchdowns for Las Vegas (7-9), which was eliminated from playoff consideration. Davante Adams caught 13 passes for 126 yards and two scores.

Jaguars 26, Panthers 0

Brandon McManus kicked four field goals and Jacksonville’s defense dominated as the hosts shut out Carolina.

The Jaguars (9-7) snapped a four-game losing streak and moved closer to repeating as AFC South champions. Sunday’s win came with backup quarterback C.J. Beathard at the controls for the Jaguars. Trevor Lawrence, who sustained a shoulder injury a week earlier, missed a game for the first time since he arrived in the NFL in 2021, ending a string of 49 straight games played.

Bryce Young had 112 yards and an interception on 19-of-32 passing for the Panthers (2-14).

Rams 26, Giants 25

Matthew Stafford passed for 317 yards and a touchdown and Kyren Williams rushed for three scores to help Los Angeles defeat New York in East Rutherford, N.J.

Stafford completed 24 of 34 passes with two interceptions, Williams rushed for 87 yards on 20 carries and Puka Nacua caught five passes for 118 yards for the Rams (9-7), who have won six of their past seven.

Tyrod Taylor passed for 319 yards and a touchdown and Darius Slayton caught four passes for 106 yards and a long touchdown for the Giants (5-11), who have lost three in a row. New York failed to convert a two-point conversion try to take the lead with 3:27 left, and Mason Crosby missed a 54-yard field goal with 30 seconds remaining.

Cardinals 35, Eagles 31

James Conner rushed for a 2-yard touchdown with 32 seconds to play and Arizona stunned host Philadelphia to leave the NFC playoff picture in disarray.

Needing a stop to halt their December slide, the Eagles saw their defense fall flat, allowing touchdowns on all four second-half possessions to permit 29 points as Philadelphia (11-5) dropped out of first place in the NFC East.

Kyler Murray was rarely pressured after a first-half interception and completed 25 of 31 passes for 232 yards and three TDs for Arizona (4-12). Conner had 26 carries for 128 yards. Jalen Hurts and the Eagles had only 275 total yards to Arizona’s 449.

Saints 23, Buccaneers 13

Derek Carr threw two touchdown passes, New Orleans forced four turnovers and the visiting Saints stayed in contention for a postseason berth with a win over Tampa Bay.

Baker Mayfield was 22-of-33 passing for 309 yards and two touchdowns but had two interceptions. Tampa Bay (8-8), which had won four in a row, missed an opportunity to clinch its third consecutive NFC South title, but can still do so with a victory at Carolina next weekend.

The Saints (8-8), who avenged a 26-9 home loss to the Buccaneers in Week 4, can win the South with a win over Atlanta and a Bucs loss to the Panthers in Week 18.

Steelers 30, Seahawks 23

Najee Harris rushed 27 times for 122 yards and two touchdowns as Pittsburgh continued its playoff push with a victory against host Seattle.

Mason Rudolph, starting for the injured Kenny Pickett, completed 18 of 24 passes for 274 yards for the Steelers (9-7). Geno Smith was 23-of-33 passing for 290 yards and one touchdown for the Seahawks (8-8), who had a two-game winning streak snapped and saw their postseason chances diminish.

The Seahawks reached the red zone before stalling, settling for Jason Myers’ 24-yard field goal with 2:01 remaining to make it a one-possession game. The Steelers recovered the ensuing onside kick and ran out the clock.

Broncos 16, Chargers 9

Jarrett Stidham threw for 224 yards and a touchdown in his first start in nearly a year, but Denver was eliminated from the playoff hunt despite beating visiting Los Angeles.

Stidham took over starting duties from Russell Wilson this week after the Broncos (8-8) lost three of their previous four games, and he completed 20 of 32 passes without a turnover. Denver was eliminated when the Kansas City Chiefs defeated the Cincinnati Bengals.

Easton Stick completed 24 of 38 passes for 220 yards in his third straight start for the Chargers (5-11) since Justin Herbert went down with a broken right index finger against the Broncos on Dec. 10. Alex Erickson caught seven passes for 98 yards for Los Angeles, which has lost four in a row and seven of eight.

Packers 33, Vikings 10

Jordan Love passed for three touchdowns and rushed for one more and Green Bay cruised to a win over Minnesota in Minneapolis.

Love completed 24 of 33 passes for 256 yards for Green Bay (8-8), which boosted its playoff hopes while reducing the Vikings’ chances to near zero. The Packers can clinch a playoff berth with a win against the Chicago Bears in Week 18. Jayden Reed had six catches for 89 yards and two touchdowns for Green Bay.

Nick Mullens completed 13 of 22 passes for 113 yards and a touchdown for Minnesota (7-9), which lost its third game in a row. Mullens entered the game in the second half as a replacement for starter Jaren Hall, who completed 5 of 10 passes for 67 yards and an interception.

–Field Level Media

PGA Tour, LIV Extend Negotiations

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PONTE VEDRA BEACH –  (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Claiming negotiations were “active and productive,” commissioner Jay Monahan told his PGA Tour members in a memo Sunday that the tour was working to extend the deadline to finalize a merger with Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund.

The PGA Tour revealed a so-called framework agreement to merge interests with the PIF, which finances LIV Golf, in a surprise announcement on June 6. Sunday marked the deadline the two sides originally set for a final agreement.

Monahan previously called New Year’s Eve a “firm target” to complete the deal, but The Telegraph reported this week that the target had been moved to early April before the Masters is played.

A news release posted to the PGA Tour’s website said the tour’s goal was to bring on the PIF, Strategic Sports Group and the DP World Tour (formerly the European Tour) as minority co-investors in PGA Tour Enterprises — the tour’s new for-profit organization — in 2024.

“These partnerships will allow us to unify, innovate and invest in the game for the benefit of the players, fans and sponsors,” Monahan said in the memo.

Monahan told members that the tour had made “meaningful progress” in negotiating with Strategic Sports Group (SSG), a consortium of U.S.-based professional sports owners led by Fenway Sports Group and including figures like the New York Mets’ Steve Cohen and the Atlanta Falcons’ Arthur Blank.

“As we move forward in our discussions (with SSG), we are focused on the finalization of terms and drafts of necessary documents,” Monahan said in the memo, according to ESPN and the Associated Press, as both media outlets obtained a full copy.

–Field Level Media

Patriots Keep it Respectable

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BUFFALO – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Buffalo Quarterback Josh Allen rushed for a pair of 1-yard touchdowns and the Bills held off a late rally by the New England Patriots to earn a 27-21 victory on Sunday afternoon in Upstate New York.

Embed from Getty Images

With the win, Buffalo (10-6) has a chance to clinch a postseason berth this week, but it would need a loss or tie from both the Steelers and Bengals. Pittsburgh and Cincinnati were set to play their games later Sunday.

Allen put the Bills up 27-14 with 10:42 remaining in the third quarter when he snuck into the end zone with the help of a push from running back Latavius Murray.

Ezekiel Elliott rushed for a 6-yard score early in the fourth to pull New England (4-12) within six, and the Patriots ended up getting the ball back with 6:41 left in the game.

However, New England failed to get past its 11-yard line, and Buffalo then ran out the clock.

Allen made up for a shaky day through the air with his performance on the ground. He completed just 15 of 30 throws for 169 yards and was picked off once. Dalton Kincaid had four catches for 87 yards.

Allen was also knocked from the game in the final two minutes due to an apparent left shoulder injury.

The Patriots’ Bailey Zappe finished with 209 yards and three interceptions on 16-for-26 passing. Elliott went for 39 yards on 14 carries.

Jalen Reagor wasted little time putting New England in front, taking the game’s opening kickoff 98 yards to the end zone.

But the Bills’ defense then took over.

Zappe was picked off twice and Pharaoh Brown lost a fumble following a 5-yard reception, allowing Tyler Bass to sandwich a pair of field goals — from 35 and 24 yards out — around Allen’s 1-yard scoring plunge.

Bass’ second field goal provided Buffalo with a 13-7 edge with 2:16 left in the first quarter, and Rasul Douglas made it 20-7 with a 40-yard pick-6 early in the second.

The Patriots got back on track with a six-play, 75-yard drive that ended with a 17-yard rushing TD by Zappe.

–Field Level Media

TL’s Sunday Sports Notes | Dec 31

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By TERRY LYONS, Editor-in-Chief of Digital Sports Desk

BOSTON – There are “No Days Off” for WWYI and Digital Sports Desk. Last week, we had our January to June 2023 (Half) Year in Review. This week, we’ll feature July to December 2023, all reminders of what was covered by this Sunday Notes column during the so-so Year of 2023.

Let’s hope for better things to come in 2024.

First, a look at some NBA news generated by the one-and-only Steve Kerr. In case you missed it, take a look/listen on what he said last week after Golden State’s 120-114 Christmas Day loss to the Denver Nuggets, and I’ll comment on the other side.

First, the Golden State head coach has a decent point. It’s fair to state that the NBA – as a whole, and via the league’s Competition Committee and Officiating supervisors and staff – have always molded the NBA rules to return a slight edge to the offense. Yet, the defense always adjusts and catches up.

Look back to major reform, back when the late Commissioner David Stern and then-NBA Senior VP for Basketball Operations Rod Thorn called for a summit to discuss the fact teams had clamped down on the game to limit opponents to 84.3 to 88.9 points per game. Defenders locked down their opponents with stifling, firm hand-checks and made it damn near impossible to cut through the lane without being roughed-up. Thus, there was little movement on offense.

The first meeting resulted in a set of rule changes designed to even the playing court for the 1994-95 season. Hand-checking rules already on the books were more strictly enforced both on the perimeter and in the paint. The NBA also moved the three-point FG line in to a uniform 22 feet all around the arc. Previously, it was 22 feet in the corners but 23.9 around the top of the arc.

Although the three-point FG line was changed in order to help FIBA conform to one set of rules for all of basketball, the shortening of the distance allowed the superior NBA defenders to pack in around the lane but quickly get to the 22-foot line to defend three-point FG attempts. In other words, the move backfired on the NBA, and the rule was soon scrubbed and the line returned to 23.9.

For the entire decade, the NBA examined the game with input from some of the great basketball minds – a few that were actually the cause of the grind-it-down NBA. Pat Riley’s New York Knicks and Mike Fratello’s Cleveland Cavaliers limited possessions and played ultra-physical defense, but they joined in for the betterment of the game. Much of the trend was mirroring the success of Chuck Daly’s championship teams with the Detroit Pistons.

For every inch the league gave the offensive side of the ball, the defensive side always counted and quickly caught-up. Stern was a stickler for following the rules that were ALREADY in the NBA rule book and thus the officials were instructed (and new refs taught) to keep the offense free-flowing and enforce the very rules in the book.

Kerr was making a point of offensive players being smart and knowing how to draw contact and get to the free throw line. Back in the ‘90s, Utah’s Karl Malone was exceptional, and he led the league in free throw attempts eight seasons in a row. Interestingly, the Malones – Karl (9,787) and Moses (9,018) – are one-two in the all-time free throws made column.

Getting to the line to score is nothing new.

During the Christmas Day GS vs Denver game, reigning NBA Finals MVP Nikola Jokić scored 26 points and went 18-for-18 from the line. Kerr was insinuating Jokić was a master chef in cooking up reasons the refs should call a shooting foul, and, as noted above, Kerr has a legitimate point. But, then again, Kerr’s best defensive player – Draymond Green – is serving an indefinite suspension for clocking Phoenix center Jusuf Nurkić in the face – earning a Flagrant 2 foul and ejection, then the suspension since it was a repeated violation and a potential harm to fellow players. (We’ve yet to hear why the NBA Players Association doesn’t reprimand Green for potentially injuring fellow union members).

That leaves us with the dilemma the NBA is facing in terms of Kerr’s criticism of the league – via its Competition and Rules Committee and the enforcement of the rules via the officials. Does Kerr’s view have serious enough merit to call for additional rule changes, or are we being cajoled by a head coach witnessing his best offensive players shooting (Steph Curry – 3-for-13) and (Klay Thompson – 3-for-10) an abysmal six-for-23 from three point range while the Warriors were outshot (26-for-32 to 20-for-23) at the stripe.

Play the game: Aging jump shooters vs. the league’s best at drawing fouls with the ability to “B.S” his way to the foul line” (Kerr’s words, not mine). Who is going to get the best result?

One important thing in Kerr’s defense is that he has a track record of integrity, honesty and very direct answers to media questions. He noted the Warriors didn’t play well enough – in “bringing the ‘A’ game vs. the NBA defending champs.”

Give the man credit.

Maybe it’s time for Kerr and current league Basketball Ops guru Joe Dumars to convene yet another summit to legislate some more physical play and defense back into the league?

We can call the new legislative agenda “The Jokić Rules.”

HERE NOW, THE NOTES: During the past two weeks, WWYI took time to stop and think of the amazing things in our lives that we are truly thankful for as Christmas brings joy to many, but pain and sorrow for some of our dear friends. Let us never forget those lost, this year, last year and the years before. A very special intention for my father, Timothy Francis Lyons (December 22) and his first son, my brother Timothy Francis Lyons III (December 16) and one other, for Mr Albert Nittoly, our loyal neighbor for so many years before he was taken by COVID-19.

As a lead off, this might surprise some as my favorite Christmas song is Luciano Pavarotti singing “O Holy Night,” … I love the original Spode Christmas Tree place settings. …Memories of three Matchbox cars under the Christmas Tree, a real evergreen complete with lighted village and running HO train set, the greatest machines ever build – Big Bruiser Tow Truck, the Flexible Flyer sled, my neighbor’s Easy Bake Oven, Hula Hoops, Whiffel Balls, the Hess Truck, a 45 rpm RCA Victrola, and tickets to the annual Holiday Festival at Madison Square Garden in New York City when St. John’s, Manhattan (Billy Campion) and Fordham (Charlie Yelverton) were all tough outs.

You’ve gotta love meeting interesting people. … People that know that Springsteen’s “The Rising” just might be the saddest song you’ve ever heard but it’s also so inspirational that it ROCKS.

Puppy Fur and Puppy Barks … U2 doing “Walk On,” … Christmas tree lights glowing in a dark living room … Turntables … Artwork of Paris by Constantin Kluge (1912-2003) … Johnny Winter … a well-done cheeseburger … Dowses Beach on East Bay in Osterville … Ditch Plains Beach at Montauk … the Chatham Light established 1808 … Chuck Leavell’s piano on Jessica by the Allman Brothers Band. …. Hello Old Friend by Eric Clapton with backing vocals by Yvonne Elliman … Corner Bistro West Village … the Homewood Campus of Johns Hopkins University in the underrated City of Baltimore … the 1,000 acre Vassar College campus in the City of Poughkeepsie, another underrated joint with great restaurants stemming from the nearby Culinary Institute of America Center for Research and Innovation.

Freihofer’s Chocolate Chip Cookies … good news from a Facebook post … Tannoy Speakers … a full tank of gasoline … discovering a new great jukebox … cleaning up on Trivia Night … old Saturday Night Live skits, before it was known as SNL … Ditka and ‘Da Bears … Bears 96, Lions 3 … halftime score … Camelback Inn – Where Time Stands Still (Suite 159) … thick, green grass … seeing it’s Curly and not Shemp when a Three Stooges episode airs … Football weather. … Late afternoon winter sun in Southern California. … Refreshing thunderstorms … Seeing Louie Carnesecca at a St. John’s game. … Bass guitar … Original hot Dunkin Donuts coffee. … The smell of freshly cut grass or freshly painted walls. … Red Tulips. …a new Zildjian 20 inch S Series Medium Ride Cymbal. … the Pressbox at Fenway Park. … the Theme from The Last Waltz. … the patter of dog paws on a hard wood floor. … a good haircut. … St. Patrick’s Day. … Breyer’s Mint Chocolate Chip ice cream. … Bruce Hornsby taking a hard turn in the middle of a hit song and it’s a tangent to heaven. … new Subway cars, we call it the T… Coast-to-Cost in First Class. … Late night Baseball on SIRIUS XM.

Frampton Comes Alive. … Earle Bailey on WLIR-FM 92.5. … Plenty of kindling and dry hardwood for the Fireplace. … F Troop re-runs. … The Turntable and listening to an album start to finish. … Christmas Tree smell until January 1st. … The late Christine McVie’s voice. … Replays of the ’69 Baltimore Orioles’ third-baseman, the Human Vacuum Cleaner, Brooks Robinson. … the sound of a golf ball hitting the bottom of the Cup. … See a red door and I want it painted black. … TOMMY’s back on Broadway. … A good clock, a good watch, a good time. … Joining a werewolf drinkin’ a piña colada at Trader Vic’s. His hair was perfect. … toast. … Top 1,000 Countdowns for Rock songs. … The guitar instrumental on ELO’s Fire on High. … Putt Putt golf. … Penny & Max. … Special ❤️ to CMM, VJL and AGL.

THE OLDEST RIVALRIES: College football is coming to a close for the 2023-’24 season. Here’s a quick look at the oldest rivalries in college footy:

  1. Princeton vs. Yale (1873)
  2. Harvard vs. Yale (1875)
  3. Harvard vs. Princeton (1877)
  4. Harvard vs. Penn (1881)
  5. Dartmouth vs. Harvard (1882)
  6. Lafayette vs. Lehigh (1884)
  7. Amherst vs. Williams (1884)
  8. Michigan vs. Notre Dame (1887)
  9. North Carolina vs. Wake Forest (1888)

OLDEST BOWL GAMES: It’s Bowl Game week(s) and we must salute the Taxslayer, the Pop-Tarts and other fine sponsors. An analysis of the Pop-Tart Bowl said there was $12.1 million in coverage generated for the sponsor. Okay.

  1. The ROSE BOWL – (Established 1902) but Played Year-after-Year (1916) – (Pasadena)
  2. ORANGE BOWL – (1935) – (Miami)
  3. SUGAR BOWL – (1935) – (New Orleans)
  4. SUN BOWL – (1935) – (El Paso)
  5. COTTON BOWL – (1937) – (Dallas)
  6. GATOR BOWL – (1946) – (Jacksonville)
  7. CITRUS BOWL – (1947) – (Orlando)
  8. LIBERTY BOWL – (1959) – (Memphis)
  9. PEACH BOWL – (1968) – (Atlanta)
  10. FIESTA BOWL – (1971) – (Phoenix/Glendale)

Oh, how we miss the Astro Blue Bonnet Bowl in Houston’s AstroDome!

2023: HALF YEAR IN REVIEW – Part Two (July to December)

July

2

  • Harrison Ford Tribute
  • Media in the Arts, Religion, Sports and Investigative Journalism
  • Professional Women’s Ice Hockey Future
  • SlamBall

9

  • FTX cryptocurrency collapse and sports
  • USA Basketball Named 2023 USA World Cup team
  • Nikki McCray-Penson RIP
  • Middle East new influence on global sport
  • NBA In-Season Tournament announcement

16

  • The Open
  • AI on The Open (Oops)
  • Gambling on the Special Olympics
  • USA Under-19 Women’s team – Kiki Rice
  • SlamBall Takes Shape for ESPN

23

  • Maureen Madill at The Open
  • Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
  • The New York Times folds Sports Section
  • NHL Players Assn (Marty Walsh) on the Winter Olympics

30

  • Congress on Name, Image, Likeness
  • Messi and Mbappe
  • UMass coaching money tree
  • NBA Basketball w/o Borders

August

6

  • NFL and the Sunday Ticket
  • FIBA World Cup
  • Tubby Smith on the Transfer Portal
  • Demise of Pac-12 Conference

13

  • Pac-12 – Tournament of Posers
  • HBO HARD KNOCKS
  • NFL Team Valuations
  • PGA Tour FedEx Cup Playoffs

20

  • PGA Tour – No Boston Stop
  • Fallout on NIL and Collectives
  • USA Basketball Showcase tour
  • SlamBall Championship

27

  • Springsteen at Gillette Stadium
  • College Football ’23 Kick-off
  • Patriots Tough Start? (0-7) or (1-6) – How about (2-10)

September

3

  • College vs Pro Football Towns
  • Ten Best Colleges for Sports
  • The Un-Retirement Commercial
  • Sports Biz: Amy Latimer Promotion

10

  • Cable TV history lesson
  • The NFL Players You Wished You’d Drafted
  • USA Basketball World Cup Upended by Germany
  • Jimmy Buffett Memorial

17

  • Load Management in the NBA
  • 8.040 Days Since Sept. 11, 2001
  • Boston College and the Red Bandana – For Welles
  • Boston Bruins @ 100
  • NLL Lacrosse Entry Draft
  • Bruni

24

  • Ryder Cup Golf
  • Baseball Season Turns in to Football Season
  • The Worst Fans in the NFL
  • First Sighting: Travis Kelce Meets Taylor Swift
  • RIP: Dennis D’Agostino

October

1st

  • More on the 2023 Ryder Cup
  • Solutions for the USA Ryder Cup team prep
  • WNBA Finals
  • Stones, The Beatles and Bruce Springsteen Released Songs on Same Day

8

  • No High Payroll Teams Left in MLB Postseason
  • World 3×3
  • NWSL (Women’s Pro Soccer) Valuations
  • The Great Rivalries in College Football
  • Health in the USA
  • BIG EAST Predictions

15

  • Britney Griner/WNBA
  • College Basketball Blue Ribbon
  • Top 25 Predictions for CBB in ’23-24
  • ESPN’s Top 10 NBA Players (Active)

22

  • Dog Days of the NFL Season
  • Bill Belichick-Gate (Watch) Begins
  • Most Marketable Athletes
  • Sports Motion Pictures to Come
  • The Sphere

29

  • Improbable MLB World Series
  • NBA In-Season Tourney Spots
  • NBA Franchise Valuations
  • NBA on TNT
  • LPGA to Boston in 2024

November

5

  • RIP Coach Bobby Knight
  • Top NBA Team Salaries
  • More Really Bad Investments

12

  • Boston Common Golf
  • NHL and NBA Global Games
  • TL Sports Entrepreneur Podcast
  • Bill Hancock to Retire

19

  • Pardon My Take:  Charissa Thompson
  • Ben Bradlee
  • The Fall of Milan Lucic
  • TGL / Boston Common Golf: One Year Delay

27 – Thanksgiving Edition

  • Giving Thanks When Due
  • Pan Mass Challenge – Cancer Research
  • Mighty Max Joins the Family
  • World Basketball Day Approaching

December

3

  • Aaron Rodgers
  • The Fall of Sports Illustrated
  • NFL Power or Parity Ratings
  • MLB’s 2024 Look-Ahead

10

  • Army vs Navy Game (New England Style)
  • Bucket Lists for Sporting Events
  • Dodgers Land Ohtani
  • College Gameday
  • Imagine

17

  • Dodgers Have Yoshinobu Yamamoto in the Crosshairs
  • Need for MLB Salary Cap system
  • Draymond Green Indefinite Suspension
  • Get Well Soon: Kareem

24

  • Special Christmas Column
  • 2023: Year in Review (Jan to June)

31

  • Special Year End Column
  • 2023: Year in Review (July to Dec 31)
  • Special Thanks

PARTING WORDS and a TRIBUTE: Popular comedian of the ‘60s and ‘70s Tommy Smothers passed away December 26th. Tommy, together with his younger brother, Dick, formed one of the great TV comedy acts and earned a primetime show from 1965 to 1966 and then their “Comedy Hour” with more free-wheeling creative control on CBS in 1967. After the TV show was cancelled, the Smothers Brothers continued a successful comedy career, but in ‘67. Tommy bought a vineyard in Sonoma County, California which he kept through 2023 when he was diagnosed with lung cancer.

Here’s a classic scene from The Tonight Show, starring Johnny Carson.

While We’re Young (Ideas) is a weekly Sunday Sports Notebook and news column written by Terry Lyons. The posting of each notebook harkens back to the days when you’d walk over to the city news stand on Saturday night around 10pm to pick-up a copy of the Sunday papers. Inside, just waiting, was a sports-filled compilation of interesting notes, quotes and quips.

TL’s Sunday Sports Notes is brought to you by Digital Sports Desk.

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Josh Allen Exits with Injury

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BUFFALO – Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen exited Sunday’s 27-21 victory over the New England Patriots in the final minutes due to an apparent shoulder injury. On the first play following the two-minute warning, Allen faked a handoff and rushed to his right, getting hit by Jalen Mills and Kyle Dugger. Mills made contact with Allen’s left shoulder, which Allen then landed on.

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Kyle Allen then took over under center to take the final two snaps of the game, both of which were quarterback kneels.

Josh Allen completed just 15 of 30 passes for 169 yards and an interception, but he rushed for two 1-yard touchdowns to lift Buffalo to its fourth consecutive victory. The Bills improved to 10-6 on the season and can clinch a postseason berth as early as this week if the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cincinnati Bengals lose later Sunday.

In 16 games this season, Josh Allen has thrown for 3,947 yards and 27 TDs with 16 interceptions. He has also found the end zone 15 times on the ground while rushing for 457 yards.

Buffalo will face the Miami Dolphins (11-5) in Week 18. The winner takes home the AFC East title.

–Field Level Media

NBA Round-Up: Pistons Win

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DETROIT – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Cade Cunningham scored 30 points and dished out 12 assists as the host Detroit Pistons snapped their record-tying, 28-game losing streak by defeating the Toronto Raptors 129-127 on Saturday.

Detroit’s skid winds up level for the all-time NBA mark. The Philadelphia 76ers lost 28 straight spanning the 2014-15 and 2015-16 seasons. Earlier this week, the Pistons broke the NBA record for most consecutive losses in one season.

Bojan Bogdanovic contributed 19 points, Jalen Duran had 18 points and 17 rebounds and Kevin Knox II added 17 points as the Pistons avoided two consecutive winless months.

Pascal Siakam led Toronto with 35 points. Dennis Schroder supplied 30 points and nine assists, and Gary Trent Jr. had 24 points. Scottie Barnes added 22 points and nine rebounds.

Timberwolves 108, Lakers 106

Anthony Edwards scored 31 points in 38 minutes and Minnesota held on for a win over Los Angeles in Minneapolis.

Nickeil Alexander-Walker contributed 21 points off the bench for Minnesota, which earned its fourth win in five games. Mike Conley added 15 points and seven assists, and Rudy Gobert registered 13 points and 13 rebounds.

Anthony Davis led the Lakers with 33 points, 17 rebounds and eight assists. LeBron James finished with 26 points on 10-for-21 shooting on his 39th birthday.

Pacers 140, Knicks 126

Tyrese Haliburton became the first player in 33 years to post consecutive games with at least 20 points and 20 assists when he led Indiana to a win over New York in Indianapolis.

Haliburton, who had 21 points and 20 assists in Thursday’s 120-104 win over the Chicago Bulls, finished with 22 points and 23 assists on Saturday. He is the third player in NBA history to collect at least 20 points and 20 assists in consecutive games, joining Hall of Famers Magic Johnson (Dec. 18-19, 1984) and John Stockton (March 1-3, 1990). Myles Turner had 28 points and eight rebounds for the Pacers, who have won three straight.

Donte DiVincenzo scored a career-high 38 points for the Knicks, who ended an 0-3 road trip hours after trading guards RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley as well as a 2024 second-round pick to the Toronto Raptors in exchange for small forward OG Anunoby, forward Precious Achiuwa and guard Malachi Flynn.

Bulls 105, 76ers 92

DeMar DeRozan scored 24 points to lead host Chicago past Philadelphia.

Coby White added 20 points and Andre Drummond scored 15 points, grabbed 23 rebounds and blocked three shots for Chicago. The short-handed Bulls played without Torrey Craig (foot) and Nikola Vucevic (groin).

Tyrese Maxey led the Sixers with 20 points and Tobias Harris added 15 points. Philadelphia recorded a season low in points.

Mavericks 132, Warriors 122

Luka Doncic won a scoring duel over Stephen Curry as Dallas held off Golden State in San Francisco.

Doncic went for a game-high 39 points, 14 more than Curry in their first head-to-head matchup of the season, helping the Mavericks end a two-game losing streak while extending the Golden State skid to three.

Dante Exum had 19 points and Josh Green added 18 for the Mavericks. The Warriors got 24 points from Chris Paul, who made a rare start.

Jazz 117, Heat 109

Collin Sexton scored 22 points and Keyonte George added 21 points to lead Utah over Miami in Salt Lake City.

Bam Adebayo had a huge game for Miami, which saw its four-game winning streak snapped. He totaled 28 points, 16 rebounds, three assists, three steals and three blocked shots. Tyler Herro scored 25 and added six rebounds and six assists.

George scored 12 points in the fourth quarter. The rookie had a career-high-tying five 3-pointers to help the Jazz continue their best stretch of the season with their seventh win in 10 games.

–Field Level Media

Bowl Games Round-Up: All Georgia

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MIAMI – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Georgia QB Carson Beck passed for two touchdowns in two quarters and No. 6 Georgia steamrolled No. 5 Florida State 63-3 on Saturday in a record showing at the Orange Bowl in South Florida.

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Beck completed 13 of 18 passes for 203 yards before exiting as the Bulldogs won by an Orange Bowl-record 60 points. The previous largest margin of victory was 55 when Alabama routed Syracuse 61-6 on Jan. 1, 1953.

Kendall Milton rushed for 104 yards and two touchdowns and Daijun Edwards also ran for two scores as Georgia (13-1) pummeled a previously unbeaten Florida State squad. The Seminoles (13-1) were missing several key players on both sides of the ball, most of them either declaring for the NFL draft or entering the transfer portal.

Freshman Brock Glenn completed 9 of 26 passes for 139 yards and two interceptions in his second straight start for Florida State. Glenn became the starter after star Jordan Travis broke his leg and Tate Rodemaker sustained a concussion and later entered the portal.

Peach Bowl: No. 11 Mississippi 38, No. 10 Penn State 25

Jaxson Dart threw three touchdown passes and ran for a touchdown as the Rebels defeated the Nittany Lions in Atlanta.

Tre Harris finished with seven catches and 134 yards for Mississippi (11-2), as the Rebels recorded 11 wins for the first time in program history. Ole Miss also had the second 10-win season in school history.

Drew Allar passed for 295 yards and two touchdowns and Tyler Warren had five catches for 127 yards for Penn State (10-3), which had 510 yards.

Music City Bowl: Maryland 31, Auburn 13

Billy Edwards Jr. passed for one touchdown and ran for another in place of record-setting quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa, who opted out of the bowl game, to lead the Terrapins over the Tigers in Nashville, Tenn.

Edwards, a redshirt sophomore who attempted 10 passes during the regular season, helped the Terps (8-5) to a 21-0 lead after one quarter. Edwards completed 6 of 20 passes for 126 yards and also ran for a team-high 50 yards on 13 carries.

It was the fourth consecutive bowl loss for Auburn (6-7), whose last bowl victory was a 63-14 rout of Purdue in the 2018 Music City Bowl.

Arizona Bowl: Wyoming 16, Toledo 15

John Hoyland kicked a 24-yard field goal with one second remaining to lift the Cowboys to a comeback win over the Rockets in Tucson, Ariz.

Hoyland’s kick capped a game-winning, 12-play, 87-yard drive for Wyoming (9-4). Andrew Peasley completed 20 of 25 passes for 168 yards for the Cowboys, who won their final game under coach Craig Bohl before his retirement.

Tucker Gleason completed 14 of 34 passes for 184 yards and one interception for Toledo (11-3). Jacquez Stuart led the team with 99 rushing yards and a touchdown.

–Field Level Media

Sox Dump Sale and Cash for Prospect

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BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – The Atlanta Braves acquired All-Star left-hander Chris Sale and cash considerations from the Boston Red Sox on Saturday in exchange for infield prospect Vaughn Grissom.

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Sale waived his no-trade clause to make the move to the National League for the first time, with the Red Sox set to send $17 million to the Braves in order to offset Sale’s 2024 salary.

A seven-time All-Star, Sale is owed $27.5 million in 2024, with a $20 million club option for 2025. If the 2025 option is exercised, $5 million of that is deferred until 2040.

Sale, 34, has dealt with injury issues in recent seasons, making 20 starts last season and 31 combined starts over the past three seasons. Sale did not pitch in 2020 after undergoing Tommy John surgery. He had a stress fracture in his ribs in 2022 along with a finger fracture and a broken wrist while reportedly riding a bicycle.

Last season, Sale dealt with a stress fracture in his scapula, going 6-5 with a 4.30 ERA in his 20 starts with 125 strikeouts and 29 walks.

In 13 seasons with the Chicago White Sox (2010-16) and Red Sox, Sale is 120-80 with a 3.10 ERA, 2,189 strikeouts and 416 walks. He was an All-Star in seven consecutive seasons starting in 2012 and finished as high as second in American League Cy Young Award voting in 2017, and third in 2014. He has seven top-six finishes in Cy Young voting.

Sale’s 11.1 strikeouts per nine innings is the best in baseball history.

In five appearances (three starts) during Boston’s World Series-title run in 2018, Sale went 1-0 with a 4.11 ERA. He gave up three runs in four innings of a Game 1 World Series start against the Los Angeles Dodgers then pitched a scoreless final inning of the deciding Game 5 to give the Red Sox the title.

Grissom, 22, made his major league debut with the Braves in 2022 and has a .287 batting average with five home runs in 27 RBIs in 64 games with Atlanta over the past two seasons. Grissom, who was born in Orlando, was an 11th-round draft pick by the Braves in 2019.

–Field Level Media

Patriots Next Team for Russell Wilson?

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DENVER – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Hours after being officially benched by the Denver Broncos, Russell Wilson took to social media to share that he’s “looking forward to what’s next.”

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But it remains to be seen what the market will be for a 35-year-old quarterback who has gone to nine Pro Bowls and won a Super Bowl. Wilson will no doubt want to land at a destination where he is viewed as a starter for a team with a competitive roster.

However, what Wilson will be seeking in terms of his next team and what his options are might not align. A few early favorites have emerged, with oddsmakers installing the Minnesota Vikings as the 5/1 favorite to be Wilson’s team to begin next season.

The Vikings are still vying for a playoff position despite starting four different quarterbacks this season. The merry-go-round at the position began with the season-ending injury to Kirk Cousins, who will be a free agent after the season.

On paper, Minnesota checks a lot of boxes if it parts ways with Cousins. The Vikings have a highly regarded offensive mind in coach Kevin O’Connell, star wide receiver Justin Jefferson and a strong defense.

Then there’s the New England Patriots, who are being offered at 6-1 by the book. There is widespread speculation that coach Bill Belichick will depart after the season, and the Patriots lack a franchise quarterback. However, they also lack strong skill-position talent and a known direction for the future.

Washington and Las Vegas are each 7/1 to add Wilson this offseason. Both are likely to be searching for new head coaches, with the Raiders already firing Josh McDaniels and the Commanders expected to let Ron Rivera go after the season.

The Raiders benched veteran Jimmy Garoppolo in favor of rookie Aidan O’Connell, while Rivera benched second-year quarterback Sam Howell for journeyman Jacoby Brissett this week. Both franchises could be in the market for a proven veteran quarterback in search of a quick rebound toward being a playoff threat.

The book is offering odds on 13 potential destinations for Wilson, although a reunion with Pete Carroll in Seattle was certainly provided with tongue firmly planted in check by the oddsmakers.

RUSSELL WILSON NEXT TEAM ODDS*
Minnesota Vikings (5/1)
New England Patriots (6/1)
Washington Commanders (7/1)
Las Vegas Raiders (7/1)
Chicago Bears (8/1)
Atlanta Falcons (8/1)
New York Giants (8/1)
Pittsburgh Steelers (8/1)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (10/1)
Arizona Cardinals (10/1)
New Orleans Saints (11/1)
Seattle Seahawks (33/1)
Miami Dolphins (50/1)
*Week 1 of 2024 NFL season.

Of course, many dominoes are yet to fall. Not the least is how and when the Broncos ultimately part with Wilson after two disappointing seasons. He has a $37 million injury guarantee for 2025 that vests in March and would become unavoidable if he suffered an injury before the end of the season and failed a physical.

There are also more coaching changes on the horizon around the league, decisions to be made by other franchises about their quarterbacks and then how various front offices view what appears to be a strong quarterback class for the 2024 draft.

They will all impact potential landing spots for Wilson, who has completed 66.4 percent of his passes for 3,070 yards and 26 touchdowns against eight interceptions in 15 starts this season.

Popular potential suitors among analysts have included the Falcons and Steelers, who are both being offered at 8/1.

The Falcons have remained in playoff position despite toggling between Taylor Heinicke and Desmond Ridder this season. Meanwhile, the Steelers spent a first-round pick on Kenny Pickett in 2022, but the offense scuffled mightily even before Pickett’s injury pushed Pittsburgh to lean on Mitch Trubisky before turning to Mason Rudolph.

Where teams fall in the NFL draft order will also have a significant impact on the quarterback market.

Southern California’s Caleb Williams and North Carolina’s Drake Maye are widely expected to be the top two players selected in April. Other potential first-round quarterbacks include LSU’s Jayden Daniels, Oregon’s Bo Nix and Washington’s Michael Penix Jr. More could certainly join them during the pre-draft process.

Chicago is likely to own the No. 1 overall pick courtesy of last year’s trade with Carolina that sent Bryce Young to the Panthers. What the Bears choose to do with Justin Fields this offseason will also be another factor that could impact Wilson.

(Odds provided are intended for entertainment purposes only. SportsBetting.ag is not a regulated sportsbook in the United States.)

–Field Level Media