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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

TL’s Sunday Sports Notebook | Sept. 25

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By TERRY LYONS

BOSTON – The window for winning was wide open, the carpet plush with – not a playoff caliber team – but a club with true NBA championship aspirations and a real opportunity in 2022-23. The talent remains fully in place as this offseason, the Boston Celtics added true point guard Malcolm Brogdon and veteran internationally renowned shooter and three-point FG threat Danilo Galinari (suffered ACL injury) to a deep roster. Continuity would be in place as the first year coaching staff that managed to take the Celtics past Brooklyn, past the highly talented, defending NBA champion Milwaukee Bucks (sans NBA All-Star Khris Middleton) and then past the Miami Heat (53-29, and best record in the East) before being eliminated (4-2) by a better Golden State Warriors team.

Aside from talent and continuity, there’s not an NBA champion in the books that can claim they didn’t have some good luck along the way to their title. Maybe they avoided injury. Maybe they were able to pull-off a last minute trade deadline deal that filled a hole. Maybe a couple last second buzzer-beater helped claim home court advantage. Maybe, maybe, maybe.

But then, the hammer came down. Injuries and very poor judgement.

Luck is not on Boston’s team bus right now, even though their team mascot is a Leprechaun named “Lucky.” The first setback, noted above, was an ACL injury suffered by the newly acquired Galinari while he was playing for his native Italy in a European World Cup qualifying tournament this summer.

On Friday, Gallinari underwent left knee revision ACL repair. The surgery was performed by Celtics’ team physician Dr. Tony Schena at New England Baptist Hospital. Dr. Schena was assisted by Dr. Paul Weitzel, with Dr. Brian Cole consulting on the case. A timetable for Gallinari’s return was not mentioned, as he is expected to miss the entire 2022-23 NBA season.

“Yesterday I had successful ACL surgery. Now the focus is on my rehab and return to the game I love,” Gallinari wrote in a social media statement. “I want to thank the Celtics organization and the medical staff at the New England Baptist Hospital. I also want to thank Dr. Antonio Orgiani and Dr. Rodolfo Rocchi for the support they gave me in Italy before surgery. And of course thank you to all of my fans for their continued support and well wishes. See you soon on the court.”

The bad luck didn’t end with Gallinari, a reserve. Dr. Schena had to earn his keep operating on a starter, too.

Breakout starting center Robert Williams underwent a successful arthroscopic procedure to remove loose bodies and address swelling in his left knee,” said the Celtics in a Friday news release. “The surgery was performed by Celtics’ team physician Dr. Tony Schena at New England Baptist Hospital. Williams is expected to return to basketball activities in 8-12 weeks.”

The eight to 12 weeks is longer than the Celtics and their fans expected and it will set the club back as Training Camp opens this Monday, with a Noon broadcast on NBA TV (and nba.com) sure to be quite savage.

The key factor with the absence of Williams will be the added weight of playing time on 36-year old center-forward Al Horford. Horford will be required to hold down the frontcourt as Williams recuperates and rehabs and he will only be backed by 7-2 Luke Kornet, as departed centerman Daniel Theis was traded to Indiana in the deal for Brogdon. It might not take its toll in November and December, but can the veteran leader perform like he did in May and June, including a strong NBA Finals.

Horford possesses the ability to keep the team together, to bond the rank and file via his locker room presence and the respect he’s earned from the entire roster and coaching staff. Horford’s presence is surely a large part of former Cs head coach and now head of basketball operations Brad Stevens’ decision to promote Joe Mazzulla who will serve as the interim head coach for the Celtics until the team sorts things out during the season-long suspension to Ime Udoka. Mazzulla won three state titles as a player at Bishop Hendricken High School in Warwick, Rhode Island, then played four seasons at West Virginia University under head coaches John Beilein and recently inducted Basketball Hall of Famer Bob Huggins.

Mazzulla began his coaching career as an assistant for the Glenville State University men’s basketball team, a NCAA Division II program, and assisted for two seasons after graduating from WVU in 2011. He also spent three seasons as an assistant coach at Fairmont State. His first head coaching experience came in 2017 at Fairmont State University. In his two seasons as coach of the Fighting Falcons, he racked up a 43-17 record and took his team to the NCAA tournament once.

Mazzulla joined the Celtics’ coaching staff as an assistant in 2019 and was quickly named as the right man for the job by Stevens. Mazzula’s opportunity arose mainly because Judoka’s No. 2 man, Will Hardy, accepted the head coaching job from the Utah Jazz this past June. Mazzula and the remaining Celtics basketball staff will utilize the same system Udoka installed in his first season with the club, a system honed by the ultra-successful San Antonio Spurs where Udoka assisted under Hall of Famer Gregg Popovich.

In other words, it’s not as if the Celtics will need to start over again. They need to do it for Al.

ONE GIGANTIC MESS MAKES WAY FOR ANOTHER: “Robert Sarver, meet Ime Udoka.”

NBA Training camps are about to open and the talk of two towns in the league is anything but basketball. In Phoenix, a club with a 64-18 record which was great enough to lead the 2021-22 Western Conference standings, is now on the market after an independent investigation found Suns team governor and principle owner (35%) was alleged to foster a toxic and inappropriate atmosphere in the organization led by his own words and actions. The league doled out a significant fine of $10m and a one-year suspension. In the aftermath of that fine and suspension, public and NBA player opinion was not buying the punishment for the NBA Constitutional crimes and a tsunami of pushback, even from the NBA Players Association called for Sarver’s all-out dismissal from the league. That pressure forced him to decide to sell the two franchises (the Suns and the WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury) as his limited stake in the franchise allows. Reports have the Suns’ value ranging $1.92b with a chance to fetch as much as $3 billion.

“In our current unforgiving climate, it has become painfully clear that that is no longer possible – that whatever good I have done, or could still do, is outweighed by things I have said in the past,” Sarver’s statement read. “For those reasons, I am beginning the process of seeking buyers for the Suns and Mercury.”

Seemingly, Sarver pointed his finger in every direction but inward as he plotted his exit statement, very obviously dismissing his past track record at the helm of the once model franchise.

The attention on Sarver’s decision to sell the Suns vanished a quick news cycle later as the Boston Celtics announced the one-year suspension of their coach, Ime Udoka. The (51-31) and 2022 NBA Finalists issued a terse statement on Thursday:

“The Boston Celtics announced (Sept 22) that the team has suspended Head Coach Ime Udoka for the 2022-23 season for violations of team policies. A decision about his future with the Celtics beyond this season will be made at a later date. The suspension takes effect immediately.”

The suspension was also reported as being accompanied by no pay for the season, and to conclude on June 30, 2023.

In a Friday press conference, conducted by Celtics’ managing partner and team governor Wyc Grousbeck and head of basketball operations and former team coach Brad Stevens, few details were provided – citing privacy issues – but the essence of the decision came after “months-long” third party and internal investigation. The investigation concluded Wednesday, the same day the fiasco was first reported by ESPN.

“I personally feel that this is well-warranted and appropriate, backed by substantial research and evidence and facts,” Grousbeck said at the press conference, “and so I’m standing by the decision, and Ime has accepted it.” The team’s statement as well as Grousbeck said the team will revisit Udoka’s future with the club at a later date.

HERE NOW, THE NOTES: Albert Pujols of the St. Louis Cardinals smacked home runs No. 699 and No. 700 on Friday night to join a very short list of MLBers to hit 700+ career homers. Only Barry Bonds, Hank Aaron and Babe Ruth have membership in that club.

While Bonds is frequently chastised for hitting the bulk of his home runs during the uncertainty of the so-called “Steroid Era,” the others have earned immortality which will include first-ballot Hall of Fame enshrinement honors for Pujols.

DIAMOND DUST-UPs and POWER RANKINGS: In 2018, the Boston Red Sox surprised Major League Baseball and even themselves by winning 108 games en route to winning the World Series. The season was astonishing, as the (108-54) regular season record was only enhanced by their (11-3) postseason mark. The incredible fact was that in every single postseason game at Fenway Park, when it came time for manager Alex Cora to bring in the closer, Craig Kimbrel, the general crowd reaction was, “No!” … It happens every September, it seems, as a usually reliable closer burns-out and becomes a liability for his club. Kimbrel earned 42 saves that year and has 22 saves for the LA Dodgers this season. Yet, as of this weekend, he’s lost his job as lead closer for the (104-47*) Dodgers. Kimbrel has a 4.14 ERA and a 1.34 whip, hardly mediocre, and rather poor for a 100+ win club.

* As of games heading into Saturday, September 24th

POWER: In past weeks, WWYI brought you power ranking for both college and pro football. They’ll be back next Sunday, but first there’s about nine games left in the MLB regular season so HERE NOW, are the MLB POWER 12 RANKINGS heading into Postseason, with six teams in each of the American and National League, then an MLB-wide listing:

AMERICAN LEAGUE:

  1. Houston Astros
  2. New York Yankees
  3. Toronto Blue Jays
  4. Cleveland Guardians
  5. Tampa Bay Rays
  6. Seattle Mariners

NATIONAL LEAGUE:

  1. Los Angeles Dodgers
  2. New York Mets
  3. Atlanta Braves
  4. St. Louis Cardinals
  5. Philadelphia Phillies
  6. San Diego Padres

MLB COMBINED:

  1. Los Angeles Dodgers
  2. Houston Astros
  3. New York Mets
  4. New York Yankees

Wild Card Sleeper: Toronto Blue Jays

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

Thursday Night Football: Pitt at Clev

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Browns Look to Rebound from Meltdown vs Jets

CLEVELAND – (Staff and Wire Service Report ) – The Cleveland Browns are trying to put a big meltdown behind them in a short week as they prepare to host the Pittsburgh Steelers in an AFC North battle tonight. The Browns (1-1) blew a 13-point lead with 1:55 left to play in Sunday’s 31-30 home loss to the New York Jets. Pittsburgh (1-1) also is moving on from a setback, as it dropped a 17-14 home decision to the New England Patriots.

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Cleveland’s defeat was much more painful. The Browns missed the extra point after Nick Chubb‘s 12-yard scoring run to still lead by 13 with New York out of timeouts. But the Jets scored on a 66-yard touchdown pass with 1:22 remaining, recovered the onside kick and then scored the winning points with 22 seconds left. Chubb, who rushed for 87 yards and a career-high-tying three touchdowns, said Tuesday that the loss can be pinned to him. He could have slid down without scoring, which would have allowed Cleveland to run out the clock.

“Yeah, I probably shouldn’t have scored right there,” Chubb told reporters. “Honestly, looking back at it, it cost us the game. A lot of things went wrong, not just one thing. But collectively as a unit, as a team, we could’ve all done things different. But it’s only a problem because we didn’t win. So I probably should’ve went down.”

The Browns will attempt to bounce back, and head coach Kevin Stefanski made it clear there is no time to dwell on the victory that got away. “We have to be problem-solvers,” Stefanski said. “We have to find solutions any which way. There are a bunch of different ways you can do it, but we have to find solutions so that when we are in a position like we were (Sunday), and it’s an obvious passing situation, we just can’t let that happen.”

Pittsburgh is looking to get its passing game going in Mitch Trubisky‘s third straight start. Trubisky is averaging just 5.1 yards per completion — which ranks 32nd among 33 qualifying quarterbacks — while passing for 362 yards, two touchdowns and one interception.

“I like to throw the ball down the field,” Trubisky said. “Why I haven’t given certain looks, especially early in the games, I can’t tell you exactly why. We’re looking for that. I’m looking for that. “Every quarterback deep down in their heart likes to throw the ball as far as they can down the field and watch their playmakers go up and get the ball.”

Steelers receiver Diontae Johnson has caught 13 passes for 112 yards and his longest gain is just 25 yards. Pittsburgh has scored just one offensive touchdown in the first half and Johnson knows that needs to change. “We just have to start fast,” Johnson said. “That’s the way we’re going to win games and get in the motion that we want to get into. If we don’t start fast, it’s going to be like last year. It’s going to be hard to get that momentum that we want and to put points on the board and get that field position.”

Steelers running back Najee Harris is also off to a slow start with 72 yards on 25 rushes. Harris shredded the Cleveland defense for 279 yards in Pittsburgh’s two-game sweep of the Browns last season. He recorded a career-best 188 rushing yards in January’s 26-14 victory.

Steelers linebacker Devin Bush (foot) was a full practice participant on Tuesday and looks on track to play. Cleveland star defensive end Myles Garrett is dealing with a neck injury. Garrett has 61.5 career sacks, just shy of the franchise record held by Clay Matthews (officially 62 after sacks became a stat in 1982). Browns guard Joel Bitonio (biceps) is in danger of missing the game while defensive end Jadeveon Clowney (ankle) was ruled out Monday. –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.”