Tag: jimmy smith

Jimmy Smith slams Ronda Rousey for saying Joe Rogan, media turned on her: ‘Don’t give me this victim sh*t’

Jimmy Smith did not mince when speaking about Ronda Rousey playing the victim card years after her two UFC losses.

[autotag]Jimmy Smith[/autotag] did not mince words when speaking about [autotag]Ronda Rousey[/autotag].

In a recent interview, Rousey said she felt mistreated by UFC commentator Joe Rogan and other members of MMA media after back-to-back knockout losses to Holly Holm and Amanda Nunes in 2015 and 2016.

Smith, a former Bellator and UFC commentator, is not fond of the way Rousey handled herself following her losses, especially after she later revealed she was dealing with concussion symptoms going into her bantamweight title fight against Holm.

“I’ve never been a religious person,” Smith said on Sirius XM’s “Unlocking the Cage with Jimmy Smith.” “One thing that’s always said about God: He gets all the credit, none of the blame. That’s what Ronda Rousey wants: all the credit, none of the blame. ‘I want credit for all my wins. My losses, I had CTE and I had this and I had that. I’m the greatest to ever do it, but when it didn’t work, it was so and so and never me.’

“She never gives credit to the people who actually beat her. The idea that (she) left MMA and went to the WWE because (she) had concussion problems makes no sense.”

Smith was not having any of Rousey’s complaints and accused the former UFC women’s bantamweight champion of mistreating staff members and being hard to work with.

“The people behind the scenes, camera people, audio people, the people you can push around and the people you can bully and the people you can talk down to can’t stand (her) f*cking ass,” Smith said. “Everybody behind the scenes that had to put a mic on Ronda Rousey couldn’t stand her. I said why? They said, ‘She was a b*tch to us from the moment she sat down to the moment she got up. Like it’s our fault she has to do this interview to hype her next fight. And she’s just miserable, and she’s mean to us, and we can’t stand her.’

“They were cheering when she got knocked out. This is what I was told. Those are the people you can be mean to and rude to, and they can’t fight back. Those people couldn’t stand Ronda Rousey, so don’t sit here and tell me that you’re the victim when the poor guy sitting behind the camera is doing his job gets sh*t on by you, or you’re mean to the person asking you questions when we’re hyping your fight. Don’t give me this victim sh*t.”

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17 former Eagles nominated for 2024 Pro Football Hall of Fame class

Brian Westbrook, Michael Vick Donovan McNabb, and Eric Allen are among the 17 former Philadelphia Eagles nominated for the 2023 Pro Football Hall of Fame class

The NFL just announced that nine players in their first year of eligibility are among the 173 Modern-Era Nominees for the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2024.

The list of first-time nominees includes running back Jamaal Charles, wide receiver Brandon Marshall, wide receiver Jordy Nelson, tight end Antonio Gates, defensive tackle Haloti Ngata, and defensive end Julius Peppers.

The list of Modern-Era Nominees will be reduced to 25 Semifinalists in November and, from there, to 15 Finalists whose names will be announced in early January.

Here’s the list of 17 former Eagles among the nominees.

Fred Taylor, Jimmy Smith among 173 Hall of Fame nominees

A handful of former Jaguars players are on the preliminary list of nominees for the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2024.

The Pro Football Hall of Fame released its preliminary list of 173 nominees for the Class of 2024, including Jacksonville Jaguars legends Fred Taylor and Jimmy Smith.

Neither name is a surprise as Taylor has advanced to the semifinalist stage of the process in each of the last four years and Smith has been a nominee in all but one year since he became eligible in 2011.

Taylor is 17th in NFL history in rushing yards behind 15 players already in the Hall of Fame and two, Frank Gore and Adrian Peterson, who will be soon.

Smith is 25th in career receiving yards and 27th in receptions.

There are nine players on the list of nominations for the first time, including running back Jamaal Charles, who played most of his career with the Kansas City Chiefs but finished it with an exceedingly brief stint in Jacksonville.

Similarly, Torry Holt — who played 10 years with the St. Louis Rams and ended his career with one season with the Jaguars — is a nominee. He was a finalist in each of the last four years, but hasn’t yet made the cut.

Andre Rison, Hardy Nickerson, and Bryce Paul are three more former Jaguars among the nominees.

In November, the 173-player list of nominees will be trimmed to 25 semifinalists. Another 10 players will be cut in January and the 15 modern-era finalists will be presented to the selection committee just before the Super Bowl.

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Arkansas lands commitment from 4-star 2025 running back

4-star running back Jamarion Parker, a St. Louis native, committed to the Razorbacks on Friday. He became the third commitment of the 2025 class.

Recruiting never stops, and Arkansas hauled in a big commitment the day before the season opener on Friday.

St. Louis 4-star running back Jamarion Parker called the Hogs, picking them over Michigan, Oklahoma, Oregon and Texas A&M.

Jimmy Smith was his main recruiter and after his third visit to Fayetteville back in April, he knew the decision he wanted to make.

He is the third player to commit in the 2025 class, joining Grayson Wilson and Marcus Wimberly.

Parker will be playing in the Under Armour All-American game in 2025 in Orlando.

He is a consensus top 250 player in America in all recruiting services, being ranked in the top 25 as both an athlete and running back by ESPN and On3Sports.

Hogs’ RB Depth Chart: Rocket leads a stacked deck

Led by Rocket Sanders, the Arkansas running back room could be as loaded as it’s ever been.

Reminiscent of the mid-2000s, the Arkansas running back room is arguably the best in the SEC, top to bottom, and one of the elite groups in the nation.

It’s been nearly 17 years since two-time Heisman Trophy runner-up Darren McFadden left for the NFL, along with one-time running mates Felix Jones and Peyton Hillis. The 2006 roster also including a dynamic freshman, in future 1,000-yard back Michael Smith.

The Hogs have had some other stellar ball-carriers since then, with the likes of Broderick Green, Jonathan Williams, Alex Collins, Rawleigh Williams III and Rakeem Boyd. But this year’s complete stable of backs may be unmatched, when all is said and done. And it all starts with the explosive Rocket Man.

Starter: Raheim “Rocket” Sanders

Arkansas’ Raheim Sanders (5) runs the ball against the Mississippi Rebels at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium on November 19, 2022. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)

Class: Junior

Measurables: 6-2, 242 lbs.

Last Season: Ran for 1,443 yards on 222 attempts with 10 touchdowns and a long of 76 yards against Auburn. He also caught 28 passes for 271 yards and a pair of TDs, averaging 9.7 yards per catch, with a long of 73 yards against Missouri State. In his 250 total touches, he did not fumble the ball.

2023 Outlook: Rocket has already been selected as a preseason first-team All-SEC performer, as well as a second-team All-American. He has also been named to the national Watch Lists for the Walter Camp. Doak Walker and Maxwell Awards. Some early mock drafts have him going as high as the first-round in the 2024 NFL Draft.

After adding 15 pounds this offseason, the Rockledge, Fla., product, has been able to get bigger and stronger, while improving his already-elite speed. He admits that he feels better than ever entering what could be his final season in Fayetteville. It also helps that he gets to team up with senior KJ Jefferson, arguably the best quarterback in the conference, and is getting comfortable in new offensive coordinator Dan Enos’ pro-style offense.

“A lot of learning with the new offensive coordinator,” Sanders said. “(KJ Jefferson) makes me comfortable, the offensive coordinator (Dan Enos), and him as well. I just feel more comfortable this year just talking to him and learning new things and always going in for questions. He’s always there for me.”

Enos has been enamored with Sanders’ consistent effort and competitiveness, even in practice.

“You would think that he’s a freshman that just got here,” Enos said. “When I say that, I mean his attitude and his demeanor and the way he practices. He doesn’t practice like a guy who rushed for 1,500 yards last year and has all these accolades. He runs the ball in practice like a guy who is very hungry and has something to prove.”

Vegas currently has Sanders at 150-1 to win the Heisman Trophy, which also depends heavily on the team’s success, but if he can remain healthy, those odds could shrink in a hurry.

Back-up 2A: Rashod Dubinion

Arkansas running back Rashod Dubinion (6) catches the game-winning two-point conversion in the third overtime against Kansas in the 2022 Liberty Bowl in Memphis. Arkansas won 55-53. Mandatory Credit: Nelson Chenault-USA TODAY Sports

Class: Sophomore

Measurables: 5-10, 216 lbs.

Last Season: As a true freshman, he ran for 293 yards on 71 attempts with five touchdowns, averaging 4.1 yards per carry. He also caught 12 passes for 108 yards and another TD, averaging 9.0 yards per catch. In his 83 total touches, he did not fumble the ball.

The high 3-Star recruit out of Ellenwood, Ga., came in as the nation’s No. 22 athlete, according to 247Sports, choosing the Razorbacks over a long-list of Power-5 programs, such as Auburn, Florida, Florida State and Ole Miss.

He played in all 13 games last season and quickly turned heads with his elusive speed and ability to find holes, as well as pass-catching skills. He turned in his best performance against Kansas in the Liberty Bowl, rushing for 112 yards and two touchdowns on 20 carries, to go along with three receptions for 19 yards.

2023 Outlook: The talented back looks primed to take things up another notch this season  after dedicating himself to the weight room in the offseason, under the watchful eye of new strength and conditioning coach Ben Sowder.

“Rashod is a football player,” said running backs coach Jimmy Smith. “He loves football. But when he first got here, the weight room was something he had to do, not something he wanted to do. As time went on, he started lifting weights and saw his body changing.

“Now he knows and he’s started enjoying the weight room. Coach Sowders held him accountable and started making him do it. Then once he started making him do it, he saw the changes and he started wanting to do it. It’s going to be really good for him.”

Back-up 2B: AJ Green

Class: Junior

Measurables: 5-11, 205 lbs.

Last Season: As a sophomore, he ran for 412 yards on 87 attempts with three touchdowns, averaging 4.7 yards per carry. He also caught six passes for 75 yards, averaging 12.5 yards per catch. Like Sanders and Dubinion, he did not fumble the ball.

The Tulsa Union alum came to Arkansas two years ago, as a 4-Star prospect, the No. 2 player in the state of Oklahoma and the No. 188 overall prep player in the nation. Green has been a solid change-of-pace back the last two seasons with his speed and receiving ability, and will likely continue to split second-team reps with Dubinion.

2023 Outlook: Green returns with outstanding top-end track speed, running a 10.38 in the 100 meters, and a 21.46 in 200 meters. He has a great initial burst with home run-hitting long speed, and has proven to have slippery strength to run through arm tackles. He showcased these traits with a 30-yard touchdown sprint against Texas as a freshman, and a few times last season, including a 20-yard jaunt against Kansas in the Liberty Bowl, which was also his first career 100-yard game

Although he could have opted to transfer after last season to seek more playing time elsewhere, Green remains all Hog.

“We all know if we wanted to go somewhere, we could play,” he said. “But why do that, when we have some of the best players right here that’s going to push us to our best potential? We’re brothers. We don’t hate on each other (and say) ‘oh, he’s getting this many carries’ and this and that. We’re just pushing each other to be the best that we can.”

Fourth Team: Dominique Johnson

Dominique Johnson (20) rushes for a touchdown against Georgia Southern at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium. Credit: Nelson Chenault-USA TODAY Sports

Class: RS-Junior

Measurables: 6-1, 252 lbs.

Last Season: He was the starter at running back for the majority of the 2021 season, before tearing his ACL during Razorbacks’ 24-10 victory over Penn State in the Outback Bowl. After surgery and rehab, he missed the first three games of 2022, before injuring the same knee again later in the year. He finished the season with just eight carries for 43 yards, but maintained his year of eligibility with a redshirt. 

2023 Outlook: When the Crowley, Texas, native arrived at Arkansas as 3-Star recruit in 2020, his role was still up in the air. He spent a day with the tight ends, before rejoining the running backs and eventually becoming the starter as a sophomore. His bruising style endeared himself to the coaches, which he put on display in a 40-21 win over Texas, scoring the game’s first touchdown on a 5-yard bullrush through the middle of the Longhorns’ defense. Now that he appears to be back fully healthy, that power running could benefit the Hogs again this season.

Johnson could have easily called it quits after multiple knee injuries, and is well aware of where he now sits in the pecking order. But he is back on the field with something to prove.

“Basically now again, I’m the fourth running back,” he said. “So it’s not a problem for me. I feel like as long as I keep doing how I do, run my way, my way is going to come into play. Gameday, we might need it, so I just do what I do. Encourage everybody else to keep going like that.”

New strength and conditioning coach Ben Sowders has helped Johnson add more muscle and strength this offseason, so without any setbacks, he may return to being a vital part of the run game.

“His body is different,” running backs coach Jimmy Smith said. “There’s more muscle. They took care of him. Even when he was hurt, he did a good job of doing stuff, just keeping the conditioning going. They did a good job of it. He’s kind of ahead of it because he was already in condition. When he started back running, he could do more running.”

Freshman: Isaiah Augustave

Class: Freshman

Measurables: 6-2, 208 lbs.

Last Season: The talented 4-Star out of Naples, Fla., was ranked the No. 13 high school running back in the nation, and the No. 174 overall recruit, according to 247Sports. As a senior, he had 110 carries for 1,061 yards — 9.6 yards per carry — and 11 touchdowns, including three 100-yard games. He had a slew of Division I offers and chose the Hogs over the likes of Florida State, Tennessee, Missouri and Kentucky.

2023 Outlook: Augustave has a tall, lean, athletic build, with good muscle mass and a frame that should allow him to continue adding bulk, under new strength and conditioning coach Ben Sowders. He possesses the top end speed to hit the long run, running an 11.01 in the 100 meters. He has the burst to hit holes straight on and the wiggle to make the first man miss, or elude an open-field tackler in space.

He is excited to be a Razorback and has already developed a close relationship with his teammates and running backs coach Jimmy Smith.

“We just really clicked, like we vibe together,” Augustave said. “I fell in love with the campus, and the coaches are all good people. They are all there for the players, it’s like a family up here and just reminds a lot of what I already got at Naples High.”

Freshman: Emmanuel Crawford

Class: Freshman

Measurables: 5-10, 168 lbs.

Last Season: Was Oklahoma’s Gatorade Football Player of the Year, after finishing high school with 6,777 career rushing yards, the most in Class 5A history. He also tallied 93 career rushing touchdowns and 13 career receiving scores. As a senior, led Grove, Okla., to a 13-1 record, rushing for 2,304 yards and 36 touchdowns on 230 carries, averaging 10 yards per attempt and 235.3 rushing yards per game. He also caught 19 passes for 546 yards, averaging 28.7 yards per reception, and seven TD catches.

2023 Outlook: Hailing from Head Coach Sam Pittman’s high school alma mater, Crawford was not heavily recruited by Power 5 schools, due to his slight build. His work in the classroom garnered offers from Air Force, Army and Navy, but Crawford decided to walk on at Arkansas. Despite his size, the speedster is not your typical walk-on, and could have a bright future down the line with the Razorbacks.

Running backs coach Jimmy Smith feels Crawford can get up to around 180 pounds and has the potential to emerge into a change-of-pace role as a scat-back in his career, as he learns the finer points of the position.

“He’ll have a role, a scat-back,” Smith said. “He’s a quick little joker, always scooting around. I had to slow him down a little bit. I tell him all the time, at running back, it’s not about going fast all the time. It’s about the pace and being able to understand the pace of certain runs. So right now he’s doing everything fast, but I’d rather him go too fast than too slow. So he’ll be alright.”

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Running back room is more than just Rocket Sanders

Rocket Sanders has gotten most of the attention this summer, but there’s a room full of talented backs behind him waiting for their opportunity.

The Arkansas rushing attack starts with Rocket Sanders, but the guys behind him are hungry to prove they’re just as talented and capable.

Junior tailback [autotag]AJ Green[/autotag] has been a solid change-of-pace back the last two seasons with his speed and receiving ability. [autotag]Rashod Dubinion [/autotag] burst onto the scene last season as a true freshman, finishing with 401 yards of total offense and six touchdowns. Don’t forget about [autotag]Dominique Johnson[/autotag] either. The starter in 2021, Johnson is back to full health after tearing his ACL in the Outback Bowl and then again in October of last season.

That’s without mentioning true freshman Isaiah Augustave or walk-on Emmanuel Crawford – both extremely gifted in their own rights with bright futures ahead.

Some coaches might look at having a position group that crowded as a detriment, but running backs coach [autotag]Jimmy Smith[/autotag] embraces it. He has instilled an “earn your keep” mentality amongst his group of guys that keeps everyone at their best at all times.

“There’s not a starter for a season, there’s a starter for a week. Everybody’s got to earn their keep every week,” Smith said. “It’s a big deal for you to practice good everyday, because we’re in the business of winning games. We’re in the business of putting the best person out there. That’s our philosophy, put the best person out there at that time.”

Having that many talented players and only limited opportunities, it might look impossible to manage from an outside prospective but Smith disagrees.

“Honestly, from the outside it looks difficult but for me it is fun,” Smith said. “I’ve got 1A, 1B, 1C, and I’ve got Dominique and Isaiah on the way. It ain’t difficult for me. It’s fun. They compete.”

While Rocket is still the clear bell cow for Arkansas, it’s comforting to know that the depth chart is full of capable tailbacks. We’ll get to see this stacked running back group in action less than a month from now when they open the season against Western Carolina on Sept. 2.

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Where will Calvin Ridley, Christian Kirk rank among all-time Jaguars WR duos?

The Jacksonville Jaguars’ duo of Calvin Ridley and Christian Kirk have high expectations, but how will they rank against former Jaguars receiving pairs?

Ahead of the 2022 NFL season, the Jacksonville Jaguars invested in the Trevor Lawrence era in a big way. The Jaguars gave former Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Christian Kirk a four-year, $72 million contract to give Lawrence his biggest target to date.

The move was met with criticism, but Kirk was crucial to Lawrence’s development into a projected 2023 Most Valuable Player candidate. The Jaguars then made a move for the future ahead of the 2022 trade deadline.

Jacksonville sent a 2023 fifth-round pick and a conditional fourth-round pick that could become a second-round pick to the Atlanta Falcons for wide receiver Calvin Ridley.

The former Falcons receiver became the featured target in Atlanta due to Julio Jones’ decline and departure. However, he dealt with injury during the 2021 and only played five games because of a fractured foot and time off to address his mental health.

Ridley was then suspended for the entire 2022 season for violating the league’s gambling policy. If he can return to form following his nearly two-year-long break from football, Ridley and Kirk will likely form one of the best duos in Jaguars history.

Based on production in a single season, Jacksonville hasn’t seen many dominant receiver pairings in its short history. Ridley and Kirk will automatically be one of the most talented duos Jacksonville has seen, but how do they stack up compared to past Jaguars pairs?

5) 2012: Justin Blackmon and Cecil Shorts III

Heading into the second year of Blaine Gabbert’s tenure in Jacksonville, the Jaguars decided to give him the top receiver in the 2012 NFL Draft. They selected wide receiver Justin Blackmon with the fifth overall pick.

Blackmon didn’t have a great career, but he looked the part of the fifth overall pick in his one full season. The former Oklahoma State Cowboys star earned 132 targets and tallied 64 catches for 865 yards and five touchdowns in his rookie year.

Blackmon quickly became Gabbert’s favorite target, but Cecil Shorts III — who was in his second season in Jacksonville — was the second half of a solid receiving duo. The reliable Shorts had the best season of his career in 2012.

Shorts garnered 105 targets and capitalized on them for 55 receptions, 979 yards and seven touchdowns.

The duo of Blackmon and Shorts didn’t last long in Jacksonville, but their production in the 2012 season ranks among the best single-season receiving duos in Jaguars history.

Blackmon and Shorts combined for 119 catches, 1,844 yards and 12 touchdowns.

4) 2010: Marcedes Lewis and Mike Thomas

In a season in which the Jaguars went 8-8 and missed the playoffs, the 2010 pairing of Marcedes Lewis and Mike Thomas made the season somewhat memorable. Lewis is now a Jaguars legend, but in 2010, he was in only his fifth of 12 seasons in Jacksonville.

He is most known as a blocking tight end, but Lewis had his most productive receiving season in 2010. The former Jaguar pulled in 58 passes for 700 yards and 10 touchdowns to earn his first and only career Pro Bowl appearance.

Outside of the Jags legend’s best season, 2010 also featured the heroics of Mike Thomas. The receiver made the Jaguars’ play of the year when he caught a deflected hail mary to beat the rival Houston Texans on Nov. 14.

Thomas contributed 66 catches for 820 yards and four touchdowns in total during the best season of his career.

Lewis and Thomas combined for 124 catches, 1,520 yards and 14 touchdowns in the season.

3) 2022: Christian Kirk and Zay Jones

Few expected Kirk and Zay Jones to form one of the most productive wide receiver duos in Jaguars history when they first joined the team in 2022. However, by the end of the season, it was hard to deny their impact.

Kirk’s contract distracted NFL fans from the player Jacksonville was adding to their roster. He was a consistent contributor for the Cardinals throughout his four seasons with the team.

The former Cardinals receiver spent the first three seasons of his NFL career in the shadows of Larry Fitzgerald and then DeAndre Hopkins. However, Hopkins was suspended to start the 2021 season, and Kirk produced his best season to date, tallying 77 catches for 982 yards and five touchdowns.

In one season in Jacksonville, Kirk quickly proved his worth. He registered 84 catches for 1,108 yards and eight touchdowns as Lawrence’s featured receiver.

However, he had plenty of help from another misunderstood route runner. Former Buffalo Bills and Las Vegas Raiders receiver Zay Jones had been in the league for five years. His best season came in his sophomore year when he produced 56 catches, 652 yards and seven touchdowns.

Despite his career slowing down, the Jaguars brought Jones into Jacksonville, and he quickly became the No. 2 option. Jones caught 82 passes for 823 yards and five touchdowns.

Jones and Kirk helped Lawrence transform into one of the league’s top young quarterbacks. The pair combined for 166 receptions, 1,931 yards and 13 touchdowns.

2) 2015: Allen Robinson and Allen Hurns

The 2015 season was former Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles’ second year in the league, and his surrounding cast lifted him to the best season of his career. Allen Robinson and Allen Hurns formed a highly productive duo to help Bortles achieve 4,428 yards and 35 touchdowns.

Robinson looked the part of a true No. 1 option and is still trying to replicate the numbers he produced in 2015. He reeled in 80 passes for 1,400 yards and 14 touchdowns in his second season in the NFL.

His yards were the second best single-season total in franchise history, and his 14 touchdowns stand as the most in a single season in Jaguars history.

Hurns played the perfect partner alongside Robinson. He was a dynamic second option that turned 64 catches into 1,031 yards and 10 touchdowns.

Robinson and Hurns combined for 144 receptions, 2,431 yards and 24 touchdowns. They are one of two pairs in Jaguars history to each have 1,000 receiving yards in a season.

1) 1996-2001: Jimmy Smith and Keenan McCardell

And if there was ever any doubt, Jimmy Smith and Keenan McCardell are the best receiving pair in Jaguars history. It was impossible to pick just one season for them, as their six seasons together would all rank in the top 10 receiving seasons in Jaguars history.

They are the only other duo in Jacksonville’s history to each contribute 1,000 receiving yards in the same season; they did it four times in six seasons.

Smith and McCardell are also the only duo to have sustained success for more than just one or two seasons.

Smith is easily the best receiver in Jaguars history. He leads the franchise in career targets, receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns and was a Jaguar from 1995 to 2005.

McCardell checks in as the second best receiver in franchise history. He is second in franchise history in targets, catches and receiving yards and is third in receiving touchdowns.

Smith and McCardell played together from 1996 to 2001 and consistently got open for former Jaguars quarterback Mark Brunell. Smith never had less than 1,200 receiving yards during the stretch, and McCardell never had less than 800.

The Jaguars legends combined for 1,061 catches, 14,365 and 71 touchdowns during their six years together.

Where will Ridley and Kirk rank?

Assuming Ridley and Kirk are healthy for the entire season, they will likely become at least a top-three receiving duo. Ridley’s past suggests he’s a clear upgrade from Jones. If Kirk plays the same as he did in 2022 and Ridley returns to form, they will surpass Kirk and Jones’s production in 2022.

Ridley’s 2020 season showed his ability to excel in the No. 1 receiver role. He produced 90 receptions, 1,374 yards and nine touchdowns in 2020, so he could give Robinson’s 2015 season a run for its money.

If Kirk reproduces his 2022 numbers, he and Ridley would pass Robinson and Hurns for the second-best receiving duo in Jaguars history. While it isn’t impossible for them to put up numbers similar to Smith and McCardell, they likely won’t catch them unless they stick together for a long time in Jacksonville.

It’s entirely possible for Ridley and Kirk to become the second-best duo in Jaguars history, but they have much to prove in their first season together.

On this day: Russell, Jones retire; ’69 banner; 76ers confetti game

On this day, Bill Russell and Sam Jones retired after winning the 1969 NBA championship, and in 2018, Boston beat the 76ers in OT.

On this day in Boston Celtics history, franchise legends Bill Russell and Sam Jones retired as champions, deciding to call it quits after winning the 1969 NBA Championship.

For Russell in particular, it was a sweet ending, defeating longtime rival big man (and good friend) Wilt Chamberlain and his Los Angeles Lakers four games to three in a 108-106 Game 7 triumph that is widely considered one of the biggest upsets in sports history. The Celtics were by then an old team and managed to make the Finals as a four seed, while Los Angeles had Hall-of-Famers Elgin Baylor and Jerry West in addition to Chamberlain, the latter winning the Finals MVP award in a loss, the only time that has happened in the history of the league.

It was Boston’s 11th championship, and that in a span of just 13 years.

Ravens to host 2023 draft party

The Ravens are hosting a Draft Party at M&T Bank Stadium

The Baltimore Ravens currently have five picks in the 2023 NFL draft. The team will do whatever they can to improve their roster over the course of 2023 draft weekend, they will have their fanbase supporting them throughout the whole way.

The Ravens have announced that they are hosting a Draft Party on April 27th at 7PM EST. General admission tickets are $30 and you can buy them at this link or on the Ravens Mobile App. Former Ravens players such as Jimmy Smith, Jacoby Jones, Courtney Upshaw, and Pernell McPhee are scheduled to be in attendance, but maybe some current Ravens will make an appearance.

Since this years NFL Draft is in Kansas City, the Ravens decided that the theme for the draft party will be everything BBQ.  To go along with the BBQ theme, free food truck tastings from local Baltimore BBQ institutions as well as celebrity Pitmaster Megan Day will be on hand to give fans grill tips and insight on how they do BBQ in Kansas City.  All fans in attendance will also receive a custom Ravens ice mold giveaway

Arkansas football: Latest recruiting news and updates for 2024 class

As focus shifts from the 2023 recruiting class to 2024, here’s some of the latest updates when it comes to the Razorbacks.

Arkansas football isn’t officially done with the 2023 recruiting class but the main focus has already shifted towards the 2024 class.

Right now, [autotag]Sam Pittman[/autotag] has only secured one commit for the 2024 class, Kavion Henderson – a four-star defensive lineman from Alabama, but that number will grow as we make our way through the spring and summer.

Officially, Arkansas has offered a scholarship to 261 players in the 2024 class according to 247Sports.com’s recruiting database. This will be the first full recruiting cycle for new coordinators [autotag]Travis Williams[/autotag] and [autotag]Dan Enos[/autotag]. Williams, alongside co-defensive coordinator [autotag]Marcus Woodson[/autotag], come to the Razorbacks with well-respected recruiting backgrounds in key areas such as Florida, Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi.

Enos is in his second stint with the Razorbacks and has staff members below him with strong recruiting acumen. [autotag]Jimmy Smith[/autotag] (running backs coach) and [autotag]Kenny Guiton[/autotag] (wide receivers coach) are two of the better recruiters on staff. Arkansas also added [autotag]Morgan Turner[/autotag] from Stanford as tight ends coach, who has an impressive track record of recruiting future NFL tight ends.

Here’s a quick look at some of the latest updates for Arkansas recruiting in the 2024 class.