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Tipoff Classic to feature first shot clock in Georgia HS hoops history
Georgia will be implementing the first shot clock in the state’s history at the Hawks-Naismith Tipoff Classic.
Come Friday the 12 Georgia-based high school basketball teams competing in the Hawks-Naismith Tipoff Classic will have to be intentional on offense because for the first time in the state’s history, the Georgia High School Association has approved the experimental use of a 30-second shot clock.
The Tipoff Classic, which runs from Nov. 15-16 at Pace Academy (Atlanta), is the first of six events that will implement the shot clock this season.
Currently just eight states – New York, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Washington, California, Maryland, North Dakota and South Dakota – use shot clocks in high school games.
ESPN National Recruiting Director for Basketball Paul Biancardi has long been outspoken about implementing a shot block in high school basketball and said he was “thrilled” to see another state experiment with it.
“I am excited beyond belief about the progressive and collaborative efforts from both the Atlanta Hawks and The Atlanta Tipoff Club to implement a shot clock during the Hawks-Naismith Tipoff Classic,” said ESPN National Recruiting Director for Basketball Paul Biancardi. “After coaching college basketball for more than 20 years, I am thrilled to see this premier event make this change on behalf of the players, coaches and fans. The high school game is moving towards a national shot clock. In the meantime, I believe that the rest of the country will model this concept.”
Pace Academy coach Sharman White, whose team will host and participate in the event, said he doesn’t anticipate the shot clock being a major adjustment for his team since they regularly implement it in practice to create the uptempo style they like to play.
“I’m confident that our guys will be ready because they’re used to it,” said White, a former ALL-USA Coach of the Year who has won seven state titles. “I love it. I think it’s a move in the right direction for Georgia and even the country.”
Follow Jason Jordan on Twitter: @JayJayUSATODAY
Bellator 233’s Kyle Crutchmer happy to be compared to teammates Cormier, Khabib – if he has bank account to match
“If my bank account says what ‘D.C.’ and Khabib’s say, you can compare me to whoever you want to compare me to.”
THACKERVILLE, Okla. – With his strong wrestling background, [autotag]Kyle Crutchmer[/autotag] is happy to draw comparisons to his teammates – but not necessarily to their fighting styles.
Crutchmer (5-0 MMA, 1-0 BMMA), who was a two-time NCAA All-American wrestler at Oklahoma State University, has a strong grappling background like former two-division UFC champion [autotag]Daniel Cormier[/autotag] and UFC lightweight champ [autotag]Khabib Nurmagomedov[/autotag], his teammates at American Kickboxing Academy in San Jose, Calif.
Crutchmer improved to 5-0 Friday at Bellator 233 in his promotional debut with a unanimous decision win over Robert Gidron. He used his superior wrestling to control the fight and showed off some of his striking, too.
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But with inevitable comparisons to his accomplished wrestling teammates at AKA, Crutchmer is more concerned with making similar paydays down the line.
“I don’t know how many people knock dudes down with spinning back fists, but I threw that (expletive) today – it landed, it knocked him down, so I’ve got a little bit different style from (them),” Crutchmer told MMA Junkie. “But listen, man, at the end of the day, if my bank account says what ‘D.C.’ and Khabib’s say – man, you can compare me to whoever you want to compare me to.”
His opponent, Gidron, stepped in on short notice for the fight. But the natural middleweight missed weight for the 170-pound bout by nearly five pounds. While Crutchmer is accustomed to being the smaller opponent, he says Gidron had an apparent size difference, a challenge he was able to overcome.
“My wrestling kind of speaks for itself,” Crutchmer said. “I think I would be dumb to not at least attempt it in the first, to see how hard or how easy it would be. Man, that guy was big. People don’t realize – he missed weight by five pounds. He’s never fought at (1)70, I don’t think, so he had some height on me, too. So some of those things, I was trying to get to. It took a lot more than people could see.”
And there was no doubt in his mind that he was going to accept the fight regardless, as he looks to begin his ascent in the Bellator 170-pound rankings.
“I’m in this to prove I’m the baddest mother(expletive) in the world, and if I’m turning down fights or I’m saying no to somebody, then why am I doing this?” Crutchmer said. “I knew it was going to be hard. You could see it, how big he was, and that does play a factor in fights. I had no hesitation. I told our coaches, ‘I’ll get paid a little bit more and we’ll roll with it.'”
Giants out of NFC East race where leaders are 5-4
The New York Giants have been out of divisional contention for a month, and that speaks volumes since the leaders are a measly 5-4.
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The New York Giants dropped the 2-8 on the season following a 34-27 loss to the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium on Sunday afternoon, moving them that much closer not just to the basement of the NFC East, but to the basement of the NFL.
Think about it… The co-leaders of the division — Dallas and Philadelphia — are each 5-4, just a measly game over .500, but the Giants are so bad that they’ve effectively been out of contention for a month.
That speaks volumes about just how bad these Giants are and it’s a tough pill to swallow.
Dallas Cowboys (5-4)
The Cowboys believed the black cat at MetLife Stadium provided them some luck moving forward, but that backfired in spectacular fashion on Sunday night as they were downed by the Minnesota Vikings, 28-24. Three of Dallas’ four losses have come against teams above .500, while they have just one win over a team with a winning record (Eagles).
Philadelphia Eagles (5-4)
The Eagles pulled into a two-way tie atop the NFC East while enjoying their bye on Sunday, but that shouldn’t excite them too much as they were unable to keep up with the Cowboys previously. They return in Week 11 against the New England Patriots and then have a date with the Seattle Seahawks the following week. Good luck, Philly.
New York Giants (2-8)
What is even left to say about these Giants? Their Sunday loss to Gang Green isn’t just a low point of the season, but a low point for this team since the 1970s. John Mara stormed out of the stadium completely steamed and is likely talking himself down from firing every single person inside the organization. Should he, though? We’ve reached a rock and a hard place scenario and something has to break.
Washington Redskins (1-8)
Like the Eagles, the Redskins enjoined a bye week in which they didn’t fall further behind. In fact, they inched closer to the Giants for third place in the division and with a game remaining, actually control their own destiny (in terms of avoiding a last-place finish).
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Fantasy football waiver wire targets after Week 10: The fallout of the Devonta Freeman injury
Picking up the pieces after injuries to Devonta Freeman and Austin Hooper.
There aren’t a bounty of strong options on the waiver wire this week. Hopefully you were busy on the trade market, and hopefully there will be more movement on the wire to come. With an injuries to Detroit Lions running back Ty Johnson and Atlanta Falcons running back Devonta Freeman, there are some waiver wire options worth targeting, and they could even be viable starters for a few weeks.
There will be two situations worth monitoring for next week. San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle and Atlanta Falcons tight end Austin Hooper are both dealing with injuries. Their backups may become fill-in options.
Here are the waiver wire targets after Week 10 and for Week 11.
5. Falcons and 49ers tight ends
Two of the best tight ends in fantasy football are dealing with injuries. The Falcons’ pecking order is a puzzle. It’s entirely possible they turn to their receivers, if Hooper misses time. But maybe tight end Luke Stocker can step up.
It’s a similar story in San Francisco, with Kittle set to miss Monday night’s game in Week 10. We’ll get a chance to see if second-year pro Ross Dwelley can step out without Kittle. Dwelley might be rostering if he plays well, just in case Kittle misses additional time.
4. J.D. McKissic, RB, Detroit Lions
ESPN: 15%. Yahoo! 21%.
When Ty Johnson left the game with a concussion, McKissic took over. The Chicago Bears made life difficult for McKissic, even with an increased ownership of touches. He finished the game with 10 carries for 36 yards and six receptions for 19 yards. In PPR formats, McKissic’s value would be on the rise if Johnson misses time.
3. Brian Hill, RB, Atlanta Falcons
ESPN: .3%. Yahoo! 3%.
It’s unclear how long Devonta Freeman could be out, but he seems to be dealing with an ankle issue. That gave life to Hill, who finished with 20 carries for 61 yards and a 10-yard touchdown reception in Week 10. He may end up being the workhorse back in Atlanta for a few weeks.
2. Darius Slayton, WR, New York Giants
ESPN: 12%. Yahoo! 10%.
Slayton had been quietly putting together a solid season until the last three weeks when he’s put up four touchdowns, with two in Week 10 and two in Week 8. He’s probably not a plug-and-play starter, but has proven a reliable red-zone threat. This season, he has 45 receptions, 394 yards and five touchdowns. He could be worth a roster spot.
1. Derrius Guice, RB, Washington Redskins
ESPN: 38%. Yahoo! 37%.
Before suffering an injury, he was the team’s starting running back, with the Redskins benching Adrian Peterson. Somehow, the ageless wonder has gone on to have a productive season. But with Guice coming back, it’s easy to imagine him splitting carries, at least. The Redskins will want to see what Guice can contribute as they continue to play for the future. He should return to being a big part of their offense.
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Everyone is mystified by Jerry Jones’s bizarre clapping
What happened here?
Jerry Jones, welcome to the Hall of Mysterious Clapping.
The Dallas Cowboys owner joins such luminaries as Nicole Kidman and Brendan Fraser (see below) with the applause he gave to Amari Cooper after the receiver made one heck of a touchdown grab in the loss to the Minnesota Vikings.
To be fair, the catch was so good that it boggles the mind. In the third quarter, Dak Prescott zipped a pass toward the end zone that looked like it was going out of bounds … except Cooper kept his toes in and hauled it in.
And then Jones went and reacted this way:
AMARI. TOE TAP. AGAIN.
This man is unreal! 🔥 #DallasCowboys @AmariCooper9
📺: #MINvsDAL on NBC
📱: NFL app // Yahoo Sports app
Watch free on mobile: https://t.co/RXk10jUojC pic.twitter.com/Dc38glhm3T— NFL (@NFL) November 11, 2019
People were mystified:
The most Amari Cooper TD celebration ever followed by Jerry Jones trying to invent a new way to clap after a score pic.twitter.com/tVx2ux2zRk
— Chris Trapasso (@ChrisTrapasso) November 11, 2019
Jerry Jones with the serial killer clap pic.twitter.com/BAjN99er0F
— Surf & Turf Podcast (@surfandturfpod) November 11, 2019
Jerry Jones has been watching so much Arkansas football he has forgotten how to clap. pic.twitter.com/adeCYYk0AP
— Made In Arkansas (@WildHogz_SZN) November 11, 2019
I have no idea if Jerry is high fiving himself repeatedly or attempting to clap #MINvsDAL pic.twitter.com/o25NRToVGd
— Slava and The Molk (@SlavaAndTheMolk) November 11, 2019
Is this really how Jerry Jones claps all the time. Ascending clap?!?!? pic.twitter.com/1MLJkRbvHu
— Brad Longaberger (@BradLongaberger) November 11, 2019
After all these yrs of watching Jason Garrett clap every Sunday and jerry still can’t get the hang of it… pic.twitter.com/E8NiS91uB2
— Taylor Richmond (@tay2rich) November 11, 2019
Congrats on joining these two:
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Eagles open up as 3.5-point home underdogs to the Patriots in Week 11
The Philadelphia Eagles open up as 3.5-point home underdogs to the New England Patriots on Sunday.
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The Philadelphia Eagles return home on Sunday for a huge matchup with the defending Super Bowl champion, New England Patriots. Despite the Birds current 5-4 record and rest from the bye week, Philadelphia opens up as 3.5-point road underdogs according to odds from BetMGM.
The numbers speak for themselves as the New England Patriots have won an NFL-leading 14 games coming out of a bye week since the 2010 season.
The Patriots are an NFL-best 47-9 (83.9 percent) following a loss since 2003, while the Philadelphia Eagles are 6-4 following their bye week since 2010 as well.
The Eagles have won two in a row to get above .500 at 5-4 and are getting healthy at the right time.
{Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services. Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.}
Ravens hitting their stride at the right time
The Ravens are hitting the point of the season where championship-caliber teams differentiate themselves, and they’re only getting better.
The Baltimore Ravens were supposed to beat the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 10. With Cincinnati winless and having a rookie quarterback getting his first NFL start, it seemed obvious that Baltimore was going to move to 7-2. But the beating the Ravens put on the Bengals proves they’re hitting their stride at the best possible time.
Before kickoff, I noted that this could be a trap game for Baltimore. While they were clearly the superior team on paper, we’ve seen the Ravens embarrass themselves previously under similar circumstances. In fact, it’s a familiar hole they’d fallen into too many times under coach John Harbaugh right as they looked to be on a roll and near the top of the league. But not this week and not this season apparently.
Baltimore’s offense got off to a quick start and never relented, finding room on the ground and through the air against the hapless Bengals. Quarterback Lamar Jackson had another brilliant game, going 15-of-17 for 223 yards, three passing touchdowns and a perfect 158.3 passer rating. He also torched Cincinnati on the ground to the tune of 65 yards and a touchdown, including his highlight-reel 47-yard run. It was a finely tuned game from the starting offense that saw them hang five total touchdowns before putting in backups in the fourth quarter.
The defense got in on the action as well, shutting down the Bengals offense. They pressured quarterback Ryan Finley, largely held running back Joe Mixon down and made two big plays, returning an interception and a fumble for touchdowns. What had been the worst unit on the team earlier this season has quickly turned around into an explosive and dangerous defense.
And that’s really the look of the entire team right now. They’ve gotten better with each and every game. They’re stronger than they were in Week 3 and far more dynamic both on offense and defense. They’ve beaten up on the top teams in the league and are now destroying the teams they should be beating. For as easy as that sounds in theory, look at how the Indianapolis Colts, Los Angeles Rams, Buffalo Bills, New Orleans Saints and Kansas City Chiefs all lost in Week 10 to teams with no better than a .500 record.
This is the point where championship-caliber teams start to differentiate themselves. Injuries have piled up on all 32 teams, and there’s more than enough game film to establish weaknesses and mismatches. Yet Baltimore is the only team actually getting better right now.
With everything coming together on defense and opponents having no answer for Jackson and this unique offense, Baltimore is unquestionably one of the best teams in the league right now. And considering they’re built for cold-weather football, the Ravens are looking really scary. If they can keep this level of play up, there’s no reason to think Baltimore shouldn’t be a front-runner for the Super Bowl.
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