Month: April 2023

The Lakers playing the Warriors in round two may limit their fatigue

The Lakers’ schedule in the Western Conference semifinals against the Warriors won’t be as grueling as it may seem at first glance.

The Los Angeles Lakers will end up getting 96 hours of rest before they take on the Golden State Warriors in Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals on Tuesday.

But the two teams will play every other day throughout the series, which will certainly concern Lakers fans, especially since LeBron James has occasionally shown signs of fatigue late in games when he hasn’t had more than a full day of rest beforehand.

Since James is 38 years of age and in his 20th season, having no games with more than one full day of rest beforehand is a disadvantage and something to be concerned about.

However, the fact San Francisco is a relatively short 90-minute plane ride from L.A., and the fact that both cities are in the same time zone will certainly help.

Changing time zones when flying from city to city can cause fatigue for NBA players because it can disrupt their sleep patterns and prevent them from experiencing optimal recovery and energy, which a full night of sleep is essential for.

James has credited a good amount of his high level of play these days to getting optimal sleep, both in terms of quantity and quality. Perhaps this series will not disrupt that aspect of his dedication to keeping his body and mind right.

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Saints’ Ohio State duo ranked among best college football teammates in NFL

The New Orleans Saints’ Ohio State duo of Michael Thomas and Marshon Lattimore was ranked among the best college football teammates playing together in the NFL:

There aren’t many NFL players who can say they were college teammates, but the New Orleans Saints have a couple of highly-decorated pros who can make that boast. According to Bleacher Report’s David Kenyon, the duo of wide receiver Michael Thomas and cornerback Marshon Lattimore is one of the best tandems in the league who started out together in college.

And, yeah, that checks out. Even if injuries have cut into their availability in recent years (Thomas was limited to just three games last season, Lattimore only appeared in seven), that doesn’t diminish their accomplishments. Lattimore has been a near-annual Pro Bowl selection. Thomas ended a 20-year drought for a wide receiver to win recognition as NFL Offensive Player of the Year. They’ve just got to get healthy, but that seems to be an unfortunately common problem for New Orleans.

Here’s Kenyon’s recap of each player’s achievements to this point:

The New Orleans Saints leaned on two Ohio State products to help them rattle off four straight NFC South titles from 2017-20.

Michael Thomas, a third-team All-Big Ten selection in 2015, notched two All-Pro campaigns during that stretch. Most notably, the wideout set an NFL record with 149 receptions in the 2019 season.

New Orleans picked Thomas in the second round of the 2016 draft and cornerback Marshon Lattimore in 2017’s opening round. The latter was named first-team All-Big Ten in 2016 and won AP Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2017. He also added Pro Bowl honors three straight years from 2019-2021.

Thomas and Lattimore both missed a majority of 2022 due to injury but are prime candidates for bounce-back years.

Hopefully both Lattimore and Thomas can return to full health and reestablish themselves on the national stage in 2023. The Saints redoubled their commitments to Lattimore through another contract restructure this spring while also signing Thomas to what’s effectively another one-year extension — meaning they’ll have to circle back and figure out a long-term solution with him next offseason. If he and Derek Carr can play as well together as they hope, that may end up being an easy decision.

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Notre Dame football: Walk-on LB enters transfer portal

Another weekend and another exit.

It just wouldn’t feel like a day that ends in Y if there wasn’t news regarding a Notre Dame football player and the transfer portal. That was indeed the case again this weekend. Not only did former Irish receiver Lorenzo Styles, Jr. find a new home, but a contributing walk-on is looking to go elsewhere as well.
Barret Liebentritt, a walk-on linebacker who was a regular on Notre Dame’s special teams in all 13 games in 2022, also entered the transfer portal. He was a regular part of Notre Dame’s kickoff team that allowed an average of fewer  than 20 yards per returned kick.
Liebentritt will enter his junior season wherever he ends up next.
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Defenders will play for XFL championship

A pro football team in D.C. will play for a championship for the first time in 30 years.

The D.C. Defenders will play in the XFL championship on May 13 after defeating the Seattle Sea Dragons 37-21 to claim the North Division championship.

It was DC’s third win over Seattle this season.

It wasn’t easy for the Defenders, who got off to a slow start, and the game was tied 9-9, heading into halftime.

However, the second half was a story for DC. The Defenders jumped on the Sea Dragons, scoring 21 consecutive points to take a 30-9 lead over Seattle. Mistakes were to blame for the Sea Dragons, and the Defenders made them pay for it.

The XFL’s leading rusher, Abram Smith, scored first in the second half for the Defenders. DC quarterback Jordan Ta’amu followed that up by connecting with Ethan Wolf on a 26-yard touchdown pass to go up 23-9 in the third quarter.

The fourth quarter began much the same way, with Cam’Ron Harris scoring from one yard out to increase the DC lead to 30-9.

Seattle didn’t quit, scoring two fourth-quarter touchdowns, but it was too little, too late for the Sea Dragons.

Ta’amu passed for 258 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions.

Now, the Defenders will play the Arlington Renegades in the XFL championship game. The Alamodome in San Antonio will host the game.

XFL owner Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson was paying attention to the playoff action Sunday.

For the first time in 30 years, a Washington, D.C. professional football team will play for a championship.

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Austin Reaves and Lakers have mutual desire in getting new contract done

Austin Reaves wants to stay with the Lakers if the price is right, and executive Rob Pelinka wants to keep Reaves in the fold.

One of the reasons the Los Angeles Lakers have risen from the ashes over the last couple of months and reached the Western Conference semifinals is the emergence of second-year undrafted guard Austin Reaves.

Last season as a rookie, he was an intriguing prospect who displayed plenty of potential. Throughout this season, he has truly started to realize that potential.

He has played well all year, but he picked things up after the All-Star break by averaging 17.6 points and 5.5 assists per game while shooting 57.8% overall and 44.3% from 3-point range. In the Lakers’ six-game series victory over the Memphis Grizzlies in the first round, he put up 16.5 points and 5 assists a contest.

Reaves will be a free agent this summer, and there is some anxiety among Lakers fans as a result. They saw Alex Caruso, another diamond in the rough, leave in free agency in 2021.

Although Reaves has admitted he is looking for a big payday, he has also expressed the desire to remain with the Purple and Gold.

Via ESPN.com:

“I would love to be here my whole career,” Reaves said. “Just the way that the fans treat me, the love they have for me, as an undrafted player, it’s kind of like they raised me type of vibe. … It feels like it’s meant to be. It feels like this all happened for a reason and this is where I should be.”

He has said he grew up a fan of the Lakers and the late Kobe Bryant, but he will certainly receive generous offers from several other teams. Some feel those offers could approach or even exceed $20 million a year.

TCU wide receiver Gunnar Henderson invited for Saints rookie minicamp tryout

TCU wide receiver Gunnar Henderson invited for New Orleans Saints rookie minicamp tryout, not to be confused with the Baltimore Orioles shortstop:

Here’s another one: former TCU wide receiver Gunnar Henderson accepted an invitation to try out at New Orleans Saints rookie minicamp in the weeks ahead, per The Spun’s Tanner Phifer. He’s not to be confused with the Baltimore Orioles shortstop.

Henderson is a marginal athlete by pro standards — he weighs in at just 5-foot-7 and 174 pounds, without the speed to compensate (having timed the 40-yard dash in 4.56 seconds for a mediocre 2.07 Relative Athletic Score). Someone with that slight of a frame ought to be able to scoot.

Maybe the Saints are looking for more diversity of body types and skill sets at minicamp. Henderson was used more often as a run blocker than a threat in the passing game, having been targeted just 17 times last season (a career high), catching 11 passes for 223 yards, with most of his yardage coming off a single 62-yard grab. He didn’t see much action on special teams or in the return game, either, so he has an uphill battle ahead in earning a contract offer.

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Former Bengals RB Giovani Bernard announces retirement

A modern great Bengals player says goodbye.

Long-time Cincinnati Bengals RB Giovani Bernard announced his retirement on his Twitter Friday.

Bernard played eight years with the Bengals and picked up 6,564 yards from scrimmage and 33 touchdowns during his time in Cincinnati.

He was drafted by the Bengals in the second round of the 2013 NFL Draft with the 37th overall pick.

After leaving Cincinnati, Bernard signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as a free agent and spent two years with the team.

Here’s what Bernard said in his retirement announcement:

10 years ago, I came into this league grateful. Grateful for what God has done for me to get to that moment and to celebrate all the obstacles that were overcome. And now fast forward 10 years, I leave humbled. Humbled by the experiences, relationships, and memories that have shaped me during this time. I’ve had the privilege of crossing paths with exceptional men and women, including my brothers on the field, coaches who’ve taught me so much, and front office/staff who worked behind the scenes to make it all seamless. I offer my deepest thanks to you all. You’ve allowed me and my family to be a part of something truly special. We are forever grateful and feel truly blessed that this was part of our journey. As I look forward, I’m excited for the newness ahead. New challenges to face and new adventures to take. What a ride it’s been, but what a ride is to come. Thankful for you all. Much love!

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UNC basketball five-star commit named a top performer at Adidas event

UNC basketball five-star commit Ian Jackson was named a standout for Saturday at the Adidas AAU event.

The AAU basketball circuit continued this past weekend with three events in three different cities and the North Carolina Tar Heels’ were back on the road to watch prospects again.

Among the players that had a standout day on Saturday was five-star Tar Heels commit Ian Jackson. Playing on the adidas circuit, Jackson continued his hot play on Saturday in Bryan, Texas, and caught the eye of On3’s Joe Tipton. 

The writer noted Jackson in his article on standouts for Saturday’s event, giving the shooting guard some praise. Here is what Tipton said about Jackson:

Ian Jackson has been widely regarded as one of the top guards in the 2024 class for quite some time now. At 6-foot-5, he has great positional size and excellent athleticism. His defensive ability is what stood out Saturday, however, I was also impressed how he got his teammates involved. Jackson, a North Carolina commit, is also a good teammate — an underrated trait.

Jackson is a top 10 player in the 2024 class and one of three five-star recruits committed to UNC in that cycle. The Tar Heels class is ranked No. 1 as it stands right now and if they continue to elevate their games or land another prospect, it should finish as the top class.

Let’s hope Jackson continues to impress and gets even better in the year before he arrives in Chapel Hill.

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Josh Downs selection named ‘best pick’ for Indianapolis Colts

A writer for CBS Sports has the selection of UNC football wide receiver Josh Downs as the Indianapolis Colts’ best pick.

The Indianapolis Colts are hoping to build the foundation of the offense around quarterback Anthony Richardson. After selecting him at No. 4 overall in the 2023 NFL draft, the future of the franchise is in the hands of the former Florida Gator.

But a few rounds later, the Colts gave Richardson a new weapon with the selection of North Carolina wide receiver Josh Downs.

The receiver slid a little bit in the draft, falling to No. 79 overall in the third round. However, one analyst believes the selection of Downs was the best pick the Colts made in the draft.

Here is why CBS Sports’ Chris Trapasso loves the Downs’ pick:

Best pick (A): WR Josh Downs, North Carolina (Round 3, Pick 79)

Best pure underneath, possession slot WR in the class. Super-nimble. Flashes awesome ball-tracking skills in tight quarterbacks. Despite his route-running chops and sudden feet, he’s not a YAC weapon. Will be Anthony Richardson’s best friend early. (Chris Trapasso)

Downs had a fantastic three-year career at North Carolina, recording back-to-back 1,000-yard receiving seasons. He came six receptions away from back-to-back 100-reception seasons and was the go-to guy for both Sam Howell and Drake Maye.

Now, the Colts hope he’s the go-to guy for Richardson for years to come.

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Troy left tackle Austin Stidham invited to Saints rookie minicamp

Troy left tackle Austin Stidham has been invited to Saints rookie minicamp. He’s one of the most-experienced blockers in college football with 4,000 career snaps:

Former Troy left tackle Austin Stidham has been invited to New Orleans  Saints rookie minicamp, the school announced Sunday. And he has a good shot at earning a contract offer. Stidham was one of the most-experienced blockers in college football with more than 4,000 career snaps, almost exclusively at left tackle.

He has the physical tools to hang at the next level, weighing in at 6-foot-4 and 294 pounds with long 34-inch arms, though he did not complete athletic testing before the 2023 NFL draft. Still, he’s a five-year starter at a competitive program, though he’s been charged with allowing 15 sacks and drawing 14 penalties in his college career, per Pro Football Focus charting. We’ll see if he has the movement skills to get by at the next level.

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