Month: September 2020

The phone buzzed on Monday morning, …

The phone buzzed on Monday morning, followed by a most uncomfortable hush. No hello. No words. Only moments of silence turning into a muffled heave, and finally, a brokenhearted sob. “You had to come from Maryland and D.C. and Prince George’s County to know what Coach Thompson meant to us,” Phoenix Suns coach Monty Williams finally said on the phone Monday. “I played in his gym one summer, and he cussed me out because I wasn’t doing something right, and man, it was an honor. Patrick [Ewing] and Alonzo [Mourning] were there playing pickup, and I felt for a moment like I was part of their family, because Coach didn’t talk to everyone like that. “… He looked like my granddad, and every time I saw him …”

For a moment today, everyone should …

For a moment today, everyone should also reflect on the role Ewing played in Thompson’s life and legacy. His decision to attend Georgetown in 1981 changed everything. Ewing delivered Thompson the platform to reach the masses in a way that inspired and challenged and forced all kinds of people to consider — and reconsider — how inequality was rooted in the fabric of the American experiment. Now, Ewing is Georgetown’s coach, a most worthy of heirs to a seat Thompson made one of the most influential in sports. “I wouldn’t be here without John Thompson,” Williams, a Notre Dame graduate, said on Monday morning. “He was a hero for us. We had our parents, and we had Len Bias, and Len died. And then we had John Thompson.

“He put his arms around me, and he knew …

“He put his arms around me, and he knew how I grew up, that I was a kid from his area, and had gotten into coaching, and he told me stuff that I knew he wasn’t telling everybody,” Williams said. “It was like talking to some figure from the Bible who I wanted to meet. Around there, a lot of people called him Big John, but I could never bring myself to do that. I always called him Coach Thompson. “I just knew that I didn’t have his kind of backbone, and I wish I did. He was like Moses to me.”

College Football Expert Picks, Predictions: Week 1

College football expert picks, predictions for Week 1: BYU at Navy, Arkansas St at Memphis, MTSU at Army. South Alabama at Southern Miss

College football expert picks, predictions for Week 1: BYU at Navy, Arkansas State at Memphis, Middle Tennessee at Army. SMU at Texas State, South Alabama at Southern Miss

Experts, Results So Far …

Gill Alexander: SU: 0-0, ATS: 0-0
@beatingthebook, VSIN
Patrick Conn: SU: 0-0, ATS: 0-0
@PatSportsGuy, LonghornsWire.com
Jeff Feyerer: SU: 0-0, ATS: 0-0
@JeffFeyerer, CFN
Pete Fiutak: SU: 0-0, ATS: 0-0
@PeteFiutak, CFN
Dan Harralson: SU: 0-0, ATS: 0-0
@danharralson, VolsWire.com
Phil Harrison: SU: 0-0, ATS: 0-0
@PhilHarrisonBW, BuckeyesWire.com
Clint Lamb: SU: 0-0, ATS: 0-0
@ClintRLamb, SoonersWire.com
Jeremy Mauss: SU: 0-0, ATS: 0-0
@MWCWire, MWwire.com
Kegan Reneau: SU: 0-0, ATS: 0-0
@KeganReneau, SoonersWire.com
Johnny Rosenstein: SU: 0-0, ATS: 0-0
@JohnnyParlay11, SportsBookWire.com
Nick Shepkowski: SU: 0-0, ATS: 0-0
@Shep670, FightingIrishWire.com
Scott Steehn: SU: 0-0, ATS: 0-0
@Steehnroller, WinnersandWhiners.com
Keith Stewart: SU: 0-0, ATS: 0-0
WinnersandWhiners.com
Brian Stultz: SU: 0-0, ATS: 0-0
@BrianJStultz, AuburnWire.com
Joe Vitale: SU: 0-0, ATS: 0-0
@JoeVitale, UGAwire.com
Chris Wassel: SU: 0-0, ATS: 0-0
@ChrisWasselDFS, SportsBookWire.com
Big Game Ben Niewoehner: SU: 0-0, ATS: 0-0
Clucko The Chicken (a coin flip): SU: 0-0, ATS: 0-0
CONSENSUS PICK: SU: 0-0, ATS: 0-0

[jwplayer DGnF10py]

Week 1 Expert Picks 
Middle Tenn at Army | SMU at Texas State
Arkansas State at Memphis | BYU at Navy

If there’s an *next to the pick, that means the team will win, but not cover.

INSTRUCTIONS: Make your pick against the spread. For example …
– If you think Florida will win -7 over Miami: Florida
– If you think Miami will win outright: Miami
– If you think Florida will win, but NOT cover: Florida*

Thursday, September 3

South Alabama at Southern Miss

– CFN South Alabama at Southern Miss Game Preview
9:00 CBS Sports Network
BetMGM Line: Southern Miss -15, o/u: 53.5
Bet on this with BetMGM or for latest line 

Gill Alexander, VSIN: Southern Miss
Patrick Conn, Longhorns Wire: Southern Miss
Jeff Feyerer, CFN: Southern Miss
Pete Fiutak, CFN: Southern Miss
Dan Harralson, Vols Wire: Southern Miss
Phil Harrison, Buckeyes Wire: Southern Miss
Isaiah Hole, Wolverines Wire: Southern Miss
Jeremy Mauss, MW Wire: Southern Miss
Clint Lamb, Roll Tide Wire: Southern Miss
Kegan Reneau, Sooners Wire: Southern Miss
Johnny Rosenstein, SportsBookWire: Southern Miss
Nick Shepkowski, Fighting Irish Wire: Southern Miss
Brian Stultz, Auburn Wire: Southern Miss
Scott Steehn, WinnersandWhiners: Southern Miss
Keith Stewart, WinnersandWhiners: Southern Miss
Big Game Ben Niewoehner, CFN: Southern Miss
Joe Vitale, UGA Wire: Southern Miss
Clucko the Chicken, CFN: Southern Miss
CONSENSUS PICK: Southern Miss

Week 1 Expert Picks 
Middle Tenn at Army | SMU at Texas State
Arkansas State at Memphis | BYU at Navy
– CFN Central Arkansas at UAB Game preview

NEXT: Middle Tennessee at Army

Pages: Page 1, Page 2, Page 3, Page 4, Page 5

Andrew Wiggins splashes a series of 3-pointers at latest offseason workout

Could Andrew Wiggins be the next Splash Brother?

While the second round of the postseason is underway inside the Orlando Bubble, the Golden State Warriors are stepping into their early offseason. After an extended layoff from games and practice, some members of the Warriors are returning to the court for offseason workouts.

On Wednesday, one of the newest members of the Warriors’ squad showed off his long-distance jumper. In a workout with hoops trainer Chris Johnson in Los Angeles, Andrew Wiggins did his best impersonation of the Splash Brothers. The former first overall selection drilled a series of 3-pointers in a fast-paced shooting drill.

Watch Wiggins’ shooting montage via @wigginsenterprise on Instagram:

View this post on Instagram

Stay Ready 🔥 @22wiggins

A post shared by Andrew Wiggins Enterprise (@wigginsenterprise) on

His brother Nick Wiggins joined the Kansas Jayhawk product for the workout with Johnson.

In his short stint in the Bay Area, the former Rookie of the Year averaged 19.4 points on 45.7% shooting from the field with 4.6 boards, 3.6 assists, 1.4 blocks and 1.3 steals per contest. In 12 games with the Warriors, Wiggins shot 33.9% from beyond the arc (20-of-39).

When the Warriors open their in-market group workouts for the offseason, Wiggins will be able to participate in shooting drills with Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson.

Along with only playing one game with Curry, Wiggins has yet to lace up next to Thompson. Golden State’s offseason workouts will allow the trio the chance to get up shots together.

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