Morning Win – Page 94 – Syndication Server

The Seattle Seahawks are becoming a big problem at just the right time

Don’t sleep on the Seahawks.

This is the online version of our morning newsletter, The Morning Win. Subscribe to get irreverent and incisive sports stories, delivered to your mailbox every morning.

Russell Wilson and the Seattle Seahawks did a little bit of everything in Monday night’s win over the Minnesota Vikings and in doing so they showed once again that as this season grows shorter they very well could be the team to beat not only in the NFC but are serious contenders for another Super Bowl title.

Because they sure look to have everything necessary to win when things get really serious starting next month.

San Francisco and New Orleans have seemingly been the front-runners in the NFC for most of the season, just look at how last Sunday’s 49ers-Ravens game was billed by many as being a Super Bowl preview. The Saints host the 49ers next Sunday, which will help the NFC West-leading Seahawks either way that one plays out.

While Lamar Jackson and Patrick Mahomes get a lot of pub for the stuff they do each week, relatively old-man Wilson is once again proving to be more than worthy of winning his first MVP award, though Jackson could have that locked up already. The former Super Bowl champ, who once came a few yards away from being a two-time champ, threw two TDs against the Vikings and was in complete control for most of the night. Those young QBs are great, but Wilson’s experience in this time of year is priceless.

So here are the Seahawks now sitting at 10-2 with a win on the road over the 49ers in their back pocket. Another win over their rival in the season finale should be what it takes to lock the Seahawks in as No. 1 or No. 2 seed, which would force at least one NFC team to try to win a playoff game in Seattle.

Oh, and the Seahawks, winners of five straight, haven’t lost a game on the road this season, too, which is pretty bonkers and should have them feeling confident if they have to pack their bags and jump on a flight for a game in the postseason.

On Monday night Seattle fell behind early thanks to a weird pick-six by Wilson. Then they jumped out to a big lead in the second and were finally able to hold off a late rally thanks to some big defensive stops and a forced fumble on a kick return in the final seconds. They also ran all over the Vikings, which was impressive.

Pete Carroll had some fun Monday night, too, as he called for a perfect fake punt in the fourth quarter that almost put things away for the Seahawks.

Carroll and Wilson have been here before and now they are rolling.

They’re also back to being able to do whatever it takes to just get a W.

Which isn’t good news for the rest of the NFC.

Monday’s biggest winner: Not Peloton!

That awful Peloton ad that you saw a million times over the weekend went viral on Monday for being so creepy and bad. Our Hemal Jhaveri did a hilarious job of breaking it all down and explaining why the woman in the ad needs some serious help!

Quick hits: Bart Scott’s bad gaffe… Bring back the SuperSonics!… And more!

– Bart Scott made a really bad mistake while talking about the Patriots and fans roasted him for it.

– ESPN using Shawn Kemp and Gary Payton for the intro to the last night’s MNF game was so darn great.

– A fake Twitter account turned the college football world on its head for a little bit on Monday.

– Patriots CB Stephon Gilmore was seen fist-bumping a ref before Sunday night’s game and fans had questions.

(Follow me on Twitter at @anezbitt. It might change your life. Just don’t tell me about your fantasy team.)

The Patriots have some really serious issues, but they’re not done

The New England Patriots aren’t dead yet.

This is the online version of our morning newsletter, The Morning Win. Subscribe to get irreverent and incisive sports stories, delivered to your mailbox every morning.

Tom Brady and the New England Patriots lost in mostly ugly fashion in front of a national television audience on Sunday and with that comes the usual storm of just about anyone and everyone saying that this team’s unbelievable run is all but over.

We all know they’re saying that with mostly hope in their hearts because we’ve all seen this team down before only to then see them peak in the playoffs and head home to Boston for another Super Bowl parade.

This Patriots team has some serious issues, which were on display Sunday night. And those issues could lead to an early end to this season. But I don’t think we can start calling their Super Bowl winning run over just yet.

The scoreboard Sunday night showed that the Houston Texans beat the Patriots 28-22, but it really wasn’t as close as that. Brady and the Patriots were able to put a couple scores on the board late and narrowly missed out on an onside kick in the final minute.

Before those late scores (maybe they can learn something from those final minutes?), things were really ugly. Brady was visibly frustrated with his receivers, as NBC showed him on the bench yelling at his guys and flipping his helmet in disgust. We’ve seen this from him before, though, but this all feels a little different as the talent around him isn’t what he has been used to during his career.

Right now, however, there is some serious causes for concern with this offense. We know the team’s strength is their defense and all they need to do is score some points and let the D do the rest. But on Sunday the offense couldn’t help the defense until it was much too late. Brady, as he has been all season, was often rushed in the pocket and couldn’t come up with any big plays to keep drives going and put pressure on the Texans.

The Patriots obviously miss Rob Gronkowski, who could stretch the defense and make big plays over the middle, plays that not only bailed the offense out but often led to points. He’s no longer there, which is an issue.

Josh Gordon isn’t there anymore, either, which has to hurt the offense as you have to think his speed would be able to be utilized by Brady.

But here’s the thing – just about every other team in the NFL would love to have people think the sky was falling after a loss dropped them to a 10-2 record. It speaks to just how good this franchise has been over the years to have people generally concerned about their future.

The Patriots are now tied with the Ravens for the No. 1 record in the AFC but would be the No. 2 seed if the playoffs started today due to Baltimore’s win over New England last month. With explosive offenses led by Lamar Jackson and Patrick Mahomes calling the AFC home, things do not look great for Brady and the Patriots right now.

But here’s why New England isn’t done – the Patriots play the Chiefs at home next Sunday in what will be another big test. Then they go to Cincinnati in Week 15, which is likely an easy win. They then host the Bills, who will be coming off tough games with Baltimore and Pittsburgh. New England finally closes the season with a home game against the Dolphins.

So yes, the Patriots can still lose one of their last four games and still be the No. 2 seed in the AFC, a spot they’ve been in numerous times over the years.

The key will be if this offensive unit can figure out a way to patch things together enough to allow them to get back to putting up enough points to put the defense in position to lock down wins.

Brady is very frustrated and likely very angry. But he’s been here before and he must be looking forward to righting this ship and quieting doubters once again.

But if he doesn’t, this team could very well be sitting this Super Bowl out.

Week 13 NFL Awards: Drew Lock’s parents had a great reaction to his first TD.

Here is my weekly look back at the good, the bad, and the hilarious from Sunday’s NFL action with a gif-by-gif look back. This week we saw a great celebration by Drew Lock’s family after his first career TD pass, a very sad mascot in Indianapolis, and a lot more fun stuff. Push aside work for a bit and dive in.

Quick hits: Eagles get ripped… Dolphins lineman laughed at Eagles… And more!

– The Eagles choked in Miami and fans had fun crushing the brutal NFC East.

– This video of Miami’s Christian Wilkins pointing and laughing at the Eagles after the Dolphins’ trick-play TD is too good.

– Giants QB Daniel Jones got hit so hard in Sunday’s loss to the Packers that the ‘Y’ flew off his helmet. For real.

– If you watch one video today make it this one of Michigan State’s Josh Butler, whose parents died while he was at MSU, walking out for Senior Day with his two dogs. It’s an incredible moment.

(Follow me on Twitter at @anezbitt. It might change your life. Just don’t tell me about your fantasy team.)

10 things in sports we are thankful for

Happy Thanksgiving from the team at For The Win.

This is the online version of our morning newsletter, The Morning Win. Subscribe to get irreverent and incisive sports stories, delivered to your mailbox every morning.

It’s the day after Thanksgiving, and we’re feeling pretty appreciative here at For The Win. So while we work through digesting yesterday’s meal, and suspect you are doing the same, we wanted to write a quick note about what we’re thankful for this year.

1. We are thankful that we get to write about sports for a living. Like, what? How is that a job?

2. We are thankful for the stuffing we gorged on last night, and our families, and friends who are family.

3. We are thankful that we are alive to watch Lionel Messi play soccer. It’s cool to watch a genius, a real genius, someone who is better at something than anyone ever has been before. On this same token, we are thankful that we got to see Tiger Woods in his prime, and Simone Biles, and Katie Ledecky and Michael Phelps, and Serena Williams and Roger Federer, and all the other GOATs we have gotten to witness.

4. We are thankful that the Egg Bowl exists, and we got to enjoy a player in that game pretending to pee on a field along with our pumpkin pie.

5. We are thankful for the Dallas Cowboys, because while our families may disagree with on politics, music, movies, and politics again, we can all come together and agree that Jason Garrett may stink, but Jerry Jones is the real problem there.

6. We are thankful for Klay Thompson. Just, him. All of him. Same for Bill Walton.

7. We are thankful for Lamar Jackson, who has taken over the league in the most fun way possible.

8. We are thankful for Stephen A. Austin for upsetting Duke. Well, our editor Nick Schwartz went to Duke, so he might have an issue with it, but the rest of us are very thankful.

9. We are thankful for Alex Trebek, a perfect man.

10. Mostly, we are thankful for you, our readers. Without you all, we’re just a group of people shouting things into the void. (We do that sometimes anyway with our weirder posts, but that’s fine.) Your feedback, humor, and readership is what gives this site life and makes it all worth it for us. So, thank you.

Now go enjoy that holiday weekend. There are sports to watch, and we’ll be watching them with you.

Let’s be honest: Turkey stinks and should be avoided on Thanksgiving

Turkey is boring and tasteless.

This is the online version of our morning newsletter, The Morning Win. Subscribe to get irreverent and incisive sports stories, delivered to your mailbox every morning.

I don’t know why I need to provide more than just that headline above but then again I do get paid to write (kinda) well thought out arguments and I think my boss might still be subscribed to this newsletter, so I better explain myself a little more here.

Tomorrow a lot of you are going to sit around a table with loved ones and carve into a big turkey that nobody is really all that excited about because – and say it with me – turkey stinks and should be avoided on Thanksgiving.

I’m here to help you avoid that fate, as there’s still time until your guests arrive. Your menu doesn’t have to be set just yet.

Thanks to tradition many of us are programmed to get a turkey during Thanksgiving week, figure out yet again how long to cook the darned thing, and then dump a bunch of sides on the turkey to make it seem like it’s actually good.

Sure, there are a bunch of things you can do with a turkey while preparing it and then while cooking it to try to trick yourself into thinking it’s flavorful but we all know what the end result is going to be. Oh, you put butter under the skin before cooking it? Oh, you coat it in herb butter before putting it in the oven? Oh, you throw a bunch of cut up vegetables in the pan with it while it cooks?

Cool stories, same outcome – total blahness

Turkey is a boring, tasteless meat that is rightly ignored 364 days a year. And calm down, I know turkey sandwiches are popular, but have you ever seen anyone smile while either ordering a turkey sandwich at a shop or while making one at home? Have you ever seen someone at work pump their fist and go, “Yes! I brought a turkey sandwich for lunch today!”

No, you haven’t. Because we all know just how dull and non-delicious this bird is.

Heck, turkey isn’t even offered at most restaurants because restaurant owners know nobody is silly enough to go out of their house and waste money on such a disappointing meal.

Instead, we’ll devote a whole day and maybe travel through time zones just to sit down and slap some slices of a turkey breast on your plate. How sad.

So what should you do instead of making turkey on Thanksgiving? I don’t know – maybe try making something that is tasty and desirable for those who have come over to your house to eat?

You know what people/non-vegeterians love to eat? Smoked meats. A smoked pork butt is perfect for a Thanskgiving dinner. It can smoke slow and low all day while you watch football and consume more wine than you probably should.

Or what about a brisket? Now there is a delicious treat. It will take longer to smoke than a pork butt and is a little more labor intensive but once it’s done people will be yelling at you to slice it up and slop it on their plate.

Sides for smoked meats are easy, too – just break out your classic sides of mac and cheese, brussel sprouts, potatoes au gratin, you name it. You can even still have stuffing because you’re an adult and can make these types of decisions.

Not into smoked meats? How about a pot roast or prime rib or make a bunch of homemade pizzas with your family?

Just anything but turkey. It’s time that we move away from turkey. This boring bird has held its power over us for way too long. We deserve to sit back and stuff our faces with something that actually puts a smile on our faces.

And turkey ain’t it.

Tuesday’s biggest winner: Bill Walton.

The hoops legend is calling games at the Maui Invitational and boy is he feeling good and having some fun in Hawaii. Here’s a collection of some wild tangents he’s gone off on the past few days, including how he wanted to go outside between games and get some sun and become the first “human solar panel.” Beautiful stuff.

Quick hits: Kane the mayor… How Duck got his name… Rams free falling… And more!

– WWE legend Kane is now a mayor of a town and he told our Nick Schwartz all about what that’s like.

– The Steelers will start QB Devlin “Duck” Hedges this week against the Browns. How’d he get that nickname? Our Charles Curtis explains.

– Here are many reasons why the Los Angeles Rams could be bad for a while.

– Our Steven Ruiz looks at 7 NFL coaches who should be fired at the end of the year, including Jason Garrett.

(Follow me on Twitter at @anezbitt. It might change your life. Just don’t tell me about your fantasy team.)

Lamar Jackson is ridiculous in such a great, fun way

Lamar Jackson is so much gosh darn fun.

This is the online version of our morning newsletter, The Morning Win. Subscribe to get irreverent and incisive sports stories, delivered to your mailbox every morning.

Lamar Jackson is a very special talent, which is something we were all reminded off – as if we even needed a reminder – Monday night when he absolutely tore up the Rams in a 45-6 win for the Baltimore Ravens.

Jackson was just ridiculous Monday night. He finished with five touchdown passes, which is a NFL record for a QB in his MNF debut. He also rushed for 95 yards and made the Rams defense look silly until he was pulled from the game early in the fourth quarter.

It was just really fun to watch Jackson do his thing and have fun doing his thing at such a high level.

What makes this second-year QB so great – besides his ability to make incredible throws and also torch a defense with his feet – is his competitive spirit. This guy wants to win as much as a Tom Brady or a Kobe Bryant or a Michael Jordan wants to win. He goes 110 MPH on every play and wants to make his opponents pay each time he takes a snap. He wants to compete so hard and rip out your heart every chance he gets, no matter the score of the game. That’s how legends in all different sports do it.

Losing is his enemy. And he appears to really hate his enemy.

Remember that time against the Seahawks this season when he told John Harbaugh that he wanted to go for it on fourth down and then ran for a touchdown on the play? That’s the type of confidence and killer instinct that separates the greats from really goods. And Jackson is well on his way to becoming one of the greats.

Jackson has wins over Deshaun Watson, Russell Wilson, and Tom Brady this season. Now he has a huge win over what was a good Rams defense that looked like a shell of itself as Jackson and the Ravens marched up and down the field at will on Monday night.

Baltimore’s offense right now feels like it’s pretty unstoppable. They stretch a defense out and then kill you with a running game featuring Jackson and Mark Ingram, who is running with such power and confidence right now. Want to stop the run? Then Jackson beats you with his arm or scrambles out of the pocket and picks up huge first downs with his feet.

He’s truly better than everyone else right now and should be the top name in any NFL MVP debates.

The Ravens are now 9-2 and host the 10-1 San Francisco 49ers next Sunday, which should be a fun one.

But really, any game with Jackson in it is a fun one, and NFL fans are lucky to be able to watch such an immense talent doing his thing.

Monday’s biggest winner: Marcus Peters.

Peters, who was traded from the Rams to the Ravens earlier this season, had some fun playing against his former team. He picked off Jared Goff late in the blowout win and then was seen appearing to mock Jalen Ramsey, the star cornerback the Rams traded for shortly after saying goodbye to Peters. Oh, and the two also had some words after the game. What a wild night in Los Angeles.

Quick hits: Jason Garrett MNF jokes… Knicks pull a Knicks… Heat break out beautiful jerseys… And more!

– Dez Bryant was one of many NFL fans to make a Jason Garrett joke after the Ravens went for it on 4th down early in Monday night’s game.

– The Knicks went out of their way Monday to shoot down Richard Jefferson’s claim that he retired instead of playing for the Knicks. Not a great look for the Knicks, but what else is new?

– The Miami Heat unveiled their ‘Vice Wave’ jerseys and they are spectacular.

– Booger McFarland made no sense on this call during MNF.

(Follow me on Twitter at @anezbitt. It might change your life. Just don’t tell me about your fantasy team.)

Jason Garrett coached scared and it cost the Dallas Cowboys dearly

Jason Garrett blew it for the Cowboys on Sunday.

This is the online version of our morning newsletter, The Morning Win. Subscribe to get irreverent and incisive sports stories, delivered to your mailbox every morning.

Jason Garrett did something against Bill Belichick and the Patriots on Sunday that you just can’t do against the Patriots and it ended up costing his team dearly – Jason Garrett coached scared.

I’m talking, of course, about his wild decision in the fourth quarter to kick a field goal instead of going for it on fourth-and-seven from the Patriots 11 yard line. The Cowboys were trailing by seven with just over six minutes left in the game. They were moving the ball against the Patriots’ stellar defense. This was their chance to have Dak Prescott make a huge a statement and make a big play in a huge situation.

Instead, Garrett called for the kicking team to take field.

Yuck.

I can only imagine Belichick was laughing so hard on the inside when he saw a kicker running onto the field. I mean, how embarrassing for Garrett.

The kick was good but the decision was not, as the Cowboys ended up losing by four points. Granted, an awful tripping call on their last drive didn’t help things but Garrett’s decision to kick a field goal is the one that should hurt the most and add only more fuel to the fire that is the Cowboys fanbase after Garrett does something stupid in a game.

Garrett should have learned something from Doug Pederson and the rival Eagles. Remember when they threw everything at the Patriots – including the “Philly Special” – in the Super Bowl a few years ago? Pederson never coached scared in that game, instead he did just the opposite and stepped down on the pedal and drove right over Belichick and the Pats on their way to winning the Super Bowl.

Garrett didn’t do that Sunday in New England and it could be what ultimately ends up costing him his job in Dallas. Jerry Jones needs a coach that isn’t afraid to go for it and make big moves. Garrett seems content with playing it safe and clapping his approval on the sideline.

Remember earlier in the season when Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson told his coach, John Harbaugh, that he wanted to go for it on fourth down inside the 10 yard line against Seattle? Jackson ran the ball in for a TD on the play and cemented his status as the leader of that team who will do whatever it takes to win. Baltimore hasn’t lost since that game and are now one of the best teams in the NFL.

Dak could have had that opportunity on Sunday, instead he had to watch some kicker run on the field and get the team three points.

Garrett didn’t coach to win on Sunday. He coached to not make mistakes.

And that was absolutely the biggest mistake that he could have made.

NFL Week 12 Awards: Eagles had the worst celebration.

Check out my weekly NFL awards, in which I take a gif-by-gif look back at the good, the bad, and the hilarious from Sunday’s NFL action. The Eagles’ defense had the worst celebration of the week – celebrating a fumble recovery while down 14 in the fourth quarter wasn’t a great look.

Quick hits: Gronk outfit jokes… Bears fan sneaks in a pie… Jefferson crushes Knicks… And more!

– Rob Gronkowski rocked a turtleneck on Fox on Sunday and fans had lots of good jokes.

– A Bears fan snuck a pumpkin pie into Sunday’s game and instantly became a hero.

– Richard Jefferson crushed the Knicks with a tremendous story about not wanting to play for the Knicks.

– Joe Theisman didn’t like seeing Dwayne Haskins taking selfies with fans at the end of Sunday’s Redskins game. Theisman really needs to calm down.

(Follow me on Twitter at @anezbitt. It might change your life. Just don’t tell me about your fantasy team.)

This is when Tom Brady and the Patriots are at their very best

Tom Brady lives for moments like this.

This is the online version of our morning newsletter, The Morning Win. Subscribe to get irreverent and incisive sports stories, delivered to your mailbox every morning.

Tom Brady and the New England Patriots are 9-1, which is tied for the best record in football and good for the top spot in the AFC.

They’re coming off a big road win over a tough NFC team that beat them in the Super Bowl a few years ago.

And they’re hearing lots people on the outside voice concerns/doubts about an offense that has been struggling a bit as of late.

Brady himself has seemed extra surly since Sunday’s win over the Eagles.

All of which means one thing – Brady and the Patriots are going to explode at home on Sunday and blow out a Dallas Cowboys team that is good, but far from great.

It’s just what they do, haven’t we all learned that by now?

The Patriots enter Sunday’s game 6.5 favorites, which makes sense when you see that Bill Belichick coaches the Patriots and Jason Garrett coaches the Cowboys. But the Cowboys are becoming the sexy pick by many to at least cover that spread.

Which has to be music to Brady’s ears.

Last year the GOAT used a somewhat fictional narrative that nobody believed in the Patriots to lead his team to a sixth Super Bowl title. Right now you have to believe he’s sitting at home with in his UGGs, carefully working on implanting a new chip on his shoulder.

It’s what he does and it’s worked every day since the Patriots used a sixth round pick on him way back in the 2000 NFL Draft.

Has the 42-year-old QB slowed down a little bit this year? Maybe, but he’s also working with a lot of moving pieces and new faces. He and Josh McDaniels have likely been spending many extra hours this week looking for ways to put up huge numbers on Sunday and shut everybody up yet again.

Making things easier for them, as has been the case all year, is that this team’s defense is absolutely stacked. And they also get to play their first game at Gillette Stadium since late October.

All I will say is this – if you’re gambling on Sunday, you might want to think twice about going against Brady and Belichick. This feels like another time that they remind everybody that this dynasty is far from dead.

And when they do, you shouldn’t be surprised.

We’ve seen this story a million times over the years.

This very time right here is what Brady lives for.

Thursday’s biggest winner: Russell Wilson.

Our Steven Ruiz broke out his updated NFL QB rankings and they’re a lot different from the preseason, as there are many new faces starting under center this late in the season. But there is a familiar face at the top of these very rankings – Russell. Wilson. See where your team’s QB ranks.

Quick hits: NHL stars try to name princesses… Let Giannis shoot the 3… Lizzo’s weird Vikings reference… And more!

– Spend some of your Friday watching this fun video of NHL stars trying to name Disney princesses. Sidney Crosby steals the show.

– Our Mike Sykes explains why NBA teams should happily allow Giannis Antetokounmpo to shoot 3-pointers.

– Stefon Diggs is investigating Lizzo’s mysterious Vikings reference on ‘Truth Hurts.’

– The Texans linebackers showed up to Thursday night’s game in costumes and got roasted by NFL fans.

– This rugby player’s hilarious rant about a horse is some must-see stuff.

(Follow me on Twitter at @anezbitt. It might change your life. Just don’t tell me about your fantasy team.)

Why would any great players like James Wiseman even want to play college hoops?

The NCAA doesn’t deserve the best players.

This is the online version of our morning newsletter, The Morning Win. Subscribe to get irreverent and incisive sports stories, delivered to your mailbox every morning.

The NCAA, as we all know, is made up of a collection of spineless ghouls whose main job is to figure out how to make sure none of the billions of dollars made by college athletes ever goes near any of the “student-athletes” and to level mind-boggling punishments if something even seems like it might help a kid or their family out.

Seriously, the sooner the NCAA goes away the better, as anyone who has even a small pocketful of common sense can agree with.

The latest idiotic move came Wednesday when the spineless ghouls suspended Memphis star basketball player James Wiseman for 12 games and, here’s the kicker, ordered him to donate $11,500 to charity.

LOL.

I mean, how rich is that by the spineless ghouls? Fining an amateur “student-athlete” just under $12 grand! Memphis is appealing this ruling but we all know how that will go.

This all happened because Memphis head coach Penny Hardaway paid for Wiseman and his family to move to Memphis in 2017. Hardaway was coaching a high school team at the time, not Memphis. Well, the NCAA decided since Hardaway donated $1 million bucks to Memphis in 2008 that he was considered a booster and this move was illegal. Because of course.

Wiseman now has to miss a bunch of games and donate all that money, which the NCAA figured covered the expenses of his move.

I obviously have nothing wrong with donating money to charity but if I’m Wiseman, I politely tell the spineless ghouls to shove their punishment you-know-where and I walk away from college basketball – because the best players don’t need this broken plan to get to the NBA.

Wiseman is expected to be one of the top picks in next summer’s NBA draft. What does one year of unpaid basketball that is ruled by people making tons of money and rule with an iron fist, have to do for his future? Absolutely nothing.

Basketball players, unlike football players, don’t need the NCAA. Football players are stuck because there’s no other way to get to the NFL.

There are more options now than ever for the best basketball players in the world to skip college and take another route. LaMelo Ball seems to be doing just fine making money and helping is draft stock while playing in ball in the NBL, a pro league in Australia and New Zealand.

Other star players have taken that route, too. Some players have taken the year off to train for the NBA draft, which makes a ton of sense.

These days a good year with a good college program doesn’t mean all that much. Everybody knows the best freshmen entering college basketball each year and their draft stock pretty much stays the same throughout the year.

Risking injury while not getting paid for a year doesn’t seem ideal. Can the college hoops experience still be a fun? Absolutely. Zion Williamson enjoyed it last year and was thankfully able to get out without a serious injury.

But the NCAA no longer deserves the best players in the world. Which they proved again with this situation in Memphis.

If I’m Wiseman, I call the NCAA and just laugh until they hang up the phone.

Wednesday’s biggest winner: Luka Doncic.

The Mavs star continued his ridiculously good start to the season Wednesday night by scoring more points, collecting more rebounds, and handing out more assists in the first quarter than the entire Golden State Warriors team had in those opening 12 minutes. That’s just nuts. He also put up some other impressive numbers in the Mavs’ blowout win over the really sad Warriors.

Quick hits: Jerry Jones’ wild tale… Jackson and Ingram share special moment… Simmons finally hits 3… And more!

– Jerry Jones often thinks about the time in 1996 when he ran into Bill Belichick, who pitched the Cowboys owner on hiring him some day to be their coach.

– A new video shows Lamar Jackson and Mark Ingram having an awesome moment on the sideline during last Sunday’s win.

– Ben Simmons finally hit his first 3-pointer of his career Wednesday night and fans had all sorts of jokes.

– Charles Curtis has his weekly fantasy football studs, duds, and sleepers and says it’s time to move Tom Brady to your bench.

– An ump in a youth baseball game stormed off the field and left after some awful parents said some awful things. Seriously, these parents are the worst.

(Follow me on Twitter at @anezbitt. It might change your life. Just don’t tell me about your fantasy team.)

Carmelo Anthony’s return should be celebrated, especially by anyone who has been laid off

Carmelo Anthony must have had a lot of fun Tuesday night.

This is the online version of our morning newsletter, The Morning Win. Subscribe to get irreverent and incisive sports stories, delivered to your mailbox every morning.

If you’ve ever suddenly been told by a boss that your services were no longer needed and that you were getting laid off then you’re familiar with the emotions that follow – it likely starts with shock and sadness, continues with some self doubt as you try to collect the pieces and figure out your next career move, and possibly leads to some ugly moments of self destruction.

It’s just not a very fun thing to go through, no matter who you are.

Which makes Carmelo Anthony’s return to the NBA on Tuesday night all the more impressive and inspiring. Now, I get it – Melo doesn’t need any more money as he’s set for life financially thanks to what he’s done during his Hall of Fame career.

But this whole thing isn’t about money.

It must have felt really freakin’ good for him when he stepped on a NBA floor again and quickly hit a 3-pointer in the first quarter of the Trail Blazers’ loss to the New Orleans Pelicans.

It was inspiring because just over a year ago he was let go by the Rockets after just 10 games. His boss called him in and told him to pack his stuff, his services were no longer needed in Houston and his NBA career was suddenly in jeopardy of being over.

It’s something that happens all the time in sports and in life, but that doesn’t mean the sting that comes with it doesn’t exist.

Melo then had to sit out the rest of the year as not one team made a move on a veteran player who has always been known to get his points, but has also been a bit of a liability on the defensive end of the floor.

On a human level, Melo had to deal with something that anyone who has been laid off before has had to go through – you wonder if the career you have chosen to that point has suddenly passed you by. The self doubts that all the work that you’ve done was fine and all, but now nobody else needs you to do it for them. That world keeps spinning around but there you are on on the outside looking in, wondering if you’ll ever get back to doing what you love again. That’s not a fun way to spend your days and nights.

Melo spoke about being cut from the Rockets during an appearance on ESPN’s First Take in August. He said: “That was an ego hit. That was a pride hit. I started questioning myself after that.”

Which probably hits home for you if you’ve ever lost your job. Again, he has millions of dollars in the bank. He’ll be fine. But those millions aren’t gonna be there to give you a pep talk when you’re sitting up late at night wondering if this game or that career has passed you by.

The way Melo handled it all was was a lesson in class. He didn’t blast anybody for not being able to get work. He didn’t hide – he was seen sitting courtside in Brooklyn last April to watch his friend, Dwyane Wade, play in the final game of his legendary career. And Melo kept working out because in order to be ready you need to stay ready.

Last week he got the call from the Trail Blazers… and he was ready. Melo started Tuesday night’s game and went for 10 points in 24 minutes. His plus/minus was -20, which is far from great and will lead to those who question his defense to puff out their chests and yell, “See, he’s not worth it!”

But there he was Tuesday night playing in a NBA game, something he probably took for granted during his previous playing days – which would be totally natural and normal. Everything from walking into the stadium to walking out to the opening tip to high-fiving a teammate after a scoring bucket must have been incredible.

After the game he told ESPN what stuck out to him most about the day and is first game back:

“Just being back out there with the guys again. I think most of all the routine — team bus, team lunch, being around the guys in the locker room — just the routine I’ve been used to for 17 years now … so getting back into that. As far as the game goes, it felt good to be back out there.”

Is Melo’s stay in Portland going to be a long one? Who knows at this point, really?

But what I do know is the way he handled the past 376 days of his life was pretty darn impressive and that it was cool to see Melo back out there doing his thing once again, no matter the results.

Tuesday’s biggest winner: Not the Dallas Mavericks!

The Dallas Mavericks introduced the world to their new City Edition uniforms on Tuesday and it did not go well for them on social media, as fans tended not to like these cartoon-like uniforms. They will be worn 22 times this year, so get used to them!

Quick hits: Ravens D is legit… Calm down, NHL fans… Brady likes AB’s Instagram post… And more!

– Our Steven Ruiz did a great job of explaining how the Baltimore Ravens fixed their defense on the fly this season and are now a dominant team because of it.

– Our Hemal Jhaveri explains why everyone is overreacting to a spitting incident in the NHL.

– Tom Brady liked Antonio Brown’s apology post on Instagram. Which led to speculation.

– Stephen A. Smith fired back at critics of his takes on Colin Kaepernick, saying: “I’m a black man, you idiots.”

(Follow me on Twitter at @anezbitt. It might change your life. Just don’t tell me about your fantasy team.)

Bill Belichick is actually a fun guy who likes having fun

Bill Belichick… fun guy!

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New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick is often seen being very serious on the sidelines or saying very little while standing on a podium in front of a lot of journalists who would love some better answers.

It’s just how the cut-off hoodie wearing coach goes about his business, which has proven to be a successful way to do things considering how many Super Bowl rings he has in his possession.

Fans of the other 31 teams don’t like the Patriots at all and are quick to rip Belichick for being a surly son of a gun. Which is fine, success breeds jealously.

But do you know what? The six-time Super Bowl champ actually likes to have fun, as he showed this past weekend in Philadelphia.

Have you seen this video of Belichick announcing during his postgame speech in the locker room his players earned themselves a “Victory Monday” following their win over the Eagles? That meant that he was giving the team the day off and they didn’t have to report to the facilities until Wednesday when they will begin prepping for Dak Prescott and the Dallas Cowboys.

The players went nuts in the locker room, as it was their first “Victory Monday” of the season. Belichick throws these out there during each season, which proves he’s not the grumpy grinder who works his guys until they can’t be worked anymore. He gets that in order to be successful you have to give a little and he sure seemed to have fun telling his guys to take the day off.

Are the Patriots struggling on offense? Yup, they are. But Belichick didn’t seem overly concerned about things in that video. In fact, he looked pretty darn happy having fun with his guys.

Then moments after he made that announcement he went to his postgame press conference and trolled Lane Johnson and the Eagles by saying: “It looked like everyone had fun out there today.”

That, of course, was a shot at Johnson, the Eagles’ offensive lineman who said after the Eagles’ Super Bowl win that players in New England don’t have any fun.

Listen, I get it. Belichick often seems like he’d rather be anywhere else than standing up and taking questions about his football team. His answers are often short and his demeanor is often that of somebody who knows that late night food they wolfed down is not going to last very long inside their system.

But he’s one of the most old-school coaches in the league, a man who has been consumed by football for most of his life and loves talking about the history of the game and the stars who changed the game. Ever hear him gush about Lawrence Taylor? It’s awesome.

Bill Belichick, underneath it all, is a fun guy.

A fun guy with a lot of rings.

And a lot of jacked up hoodies.

Monday’s biggest winner: Max Kellerman.

First Take, like all morning sports shows, is virtually unwatchable and I don’t understand how anyone chooses to sit there and listen to people yell about topics they don’t really feel that passionately about. But on Monday, Kellerman did a great job of shutting down Stephen A. Smith’s comments on Colin Kaepernick’s workout. This video is worth a watch.

Quick hits: Mahomes airs it out… Estadio Azteca field was a mess… Fun NASCAR polls… And more!

– Patrick Mahomes casually threw a ball 70 yards while warming up for Monday night’s game in Mexico City.

– The field at Estadio Azteca was an absolute mess for MNF and fans ripped the NFL over it.

– Our Michelle Martinelli conducted her annual NASCAR Superlatives investigation and polled drivers to see what they think of each other. This is some fun stuff.

– Jets TE Ryan Griffin had a mesmerizing sticky hands TD celebration on Sunday that you’ll end up watching on a loop.

– Jeopardy! had an incredible announcement yesterday as three legends are going to square off in a primetime showdown.

(Follow me on Twitter at @anezbitt. It might change your life. Just don’t tell me about your fantasy team.)