Tag: morning win

Madden adding Saquon Barkley’s awesome reverse-hurdle completely ruins it

I know this is a video game move, but it shouldn’t be in the video game.

This is For The Win’s daily newsletter, The Morning Win. Did a friend recommend or forward this to you? If so, subscribe here. Have feedback? Leave your questions, comments and concerns through this brief reader survey! Now, here’s Mike Sykes.

Good morning, Winners! Welcome back to the Morning Win. Thanks so much for rocking with us today. We appreciate you.

If you haven’t heard, Madden is adding Saquon Barkley’s incredible reverse-spin-hurdle-whatever we’re calling that thing into its game.

That’s probably a pretty cool thing for most people. I’m sure a lot of you who play Madden are thinking, “Wow! I get to do the awesome Saquon Barkley move! This is great.” And, you know what? If that’s you, I’m happy for you.

But, unfortunately, today I’m here to rain on your parade. Let me tell you why this actually isn’t that great.

MORE ON MADDEN: Madden is a pretty fun game these days, even if it feels incomplete at times.

None of us have ever seen anything like this before. Barkley had never done anything like that before. Nobody has. It was an incredible athletic feat that might legitimately be a once-in-a-lifetime thing because of how serendipitously it occurred.

He didn’t even mean to do it. Here’s what Barkley told Whistle Sports about how it happened:

“What really happened was, I was going to hit a double spin. I aborted it. When I spun, I went to spin again, and I just, like … It’s probably going to take away from how cool the play is. I thought he was going low, so I thought ‘I’ma cool if I just jump up. But my body kind of took over.”

First of all, that sounds awesome. How the body and mind work in concert is endlessly fascinating to me. Someone should write a book on the psychology behind this move by itself. I’d buy ten copies.

But, anyway, back to the point, this is exactly why I don’t think it belongs on Madden.

Yes, it’s a video game move in the sense that it’d be perfect in an arcade game like NFL Street. But in Madden? Guys. Come on. Barkley didn’t even know he was going to do this. Doing it in the game would probably feel awesome, but some stuff just feels better left alone.

This is like somebody adding the Slip-N-Slide to NBA 2K. Would that be awesome to see? I guess. Does it make sense? Absolutely not.

The move will be unique to Barkley in Madden, so it’s not like everyone will be able to do it. But good luck to all of you out there playing against the Eagles in online competition. The game can already be cheesy enough as is. This only adds another thick layer of cheese to the pot.

Maybe I’m being the fun police here. Maybe this is something people will thoroughly enjoy and I’m worrying a bit too much about the sanctity of a video game. Maybe I just don’t want to see my linebacker reverse hurdled over when I’m playing online.

Regardless, you can catch me in franchise mode doing my thing. I will not be subjected to this foolishness.

Caitlin Clark is NOT Unrivaled

Hate to say we told ya so, but we did tell ya so. As it turns out, Caitlin Clark will not be joining the Unrivaled basketball league. At least not this season, according to the latest reporting.

Basically, Clark has stuff to do this offseason. And she’s taking a bit of a well-deserved break from basketball. Here’s what our Meg Hall wrote about this a month ago:

“Technically, Unrivaled has yet to fill its 30-athlete roster, leaving room for additional WNBA players to join, but I do not expect Caitlin Clark to be on that list. Why? She needs rest.

Caitlin has not had an entire offseason to do what she wants — rest, play golf or otherwise. Joining Unrivaled drastically cuts into her time to recuperate from what has at least been a nearly 12-month-plus grind. Since easily September of last year, she has been going almost non-stop and hasn’t had longer than a few weeks just to be Caitlin.”

That’s spot on. As much as we’d all love to see Clark playing here, it doesn’t make a ton of sense for it to happen. At least not now.

Salute to Geno

(Photo by Joe Buglewicz/Getty Images)

Geno Auriemma officially became the all-time winningest coach in NCAA basketball history on Wednesday. Good on him.

He passed Stanford great Tara VanDerveer, who broke Mike Krzyzewski’s record last season. Auriemma’s 1,217th win puts him at the top of the ladder.

It’s been an incredible journey to watch. Geno has been very, very easy to hate at times considering how unapologetically hard-nosed he’s been throughout his career. His beef with Pat Summitt didn’t help, either.

But there’s no denying his dominance. His winning streaks are unbelievable. His resume is unflappable. He’s coached dozens of incredible players into the pro ranks, including more than a few Hall of Famers.

He’s got a legitimate claim as the greatest coach of this generation, like him or not. At the very least, you’ve got to respect that.

MORE GENO: Five photos of Auriemma celebrating his new all-time wins record.

Quick hits: Thanks for the memories, ATH … Eli Manning is a Hall of Famer … and more

— Around the Horn will be coming to an end next summer, Cory Woodroof writes. This sucks.

— Robert Zeglinski has one big stat that makes Eli Manning (an eventual) lock for the Hall of Fame.

— Here are our staff picks against the spread in the NFL for Week 12. Choose wisely.

— This ESPN mock draft actually doesn’t have Travis Hunter as the No. 1 overall pick. Here’s Charles Curtis with details.

— Meg Hall ranked the Unrivaled rosters from Sneaky Good to Title Contenders.

— Speaking of Unrivaled, here’s everything you need to know about the league.

That’s a wrap, folks! Thanks so much for reading. We appreciate you. Have a great Thursday. Peace.

-Sykes ✌️

Tommy DeVito vs. Cooper Rush might be the best Thanksgiving day game ever

No, no. Don’t get me wrong. This game will suck. But it’s the perfect time for a turkey nap.

This is For The Win’s daily newsletter, The Morning Win. Did a friend recommend or forward this to you? If so, subscribe here. Have feedback? Leave your questions, comments and concerns through this brief reader survey! Now, here’s Mike Sykes.

Good morning, folks! Welcome back to the Morning Win. Thanks so much for rocking with us today. We appreciate you giving us a bit of your time.

You know what I’m not giving any of my time? The Giants vs. the Cowboys on Thanksgiving Day.

This is usually a matchup you’d be stoked to see. The Cowboys and Giants always give us good games whenever they play. That’s how the NFC East goes. It’s always been one of the weirdest divisions in football.

That ain’t how it’s going to go this year.

COSMIC PUNISHMENT: This is the Lions’ fault, somehow. I don’t know how. It just is.

Tommy DeVito is the starting quarterback for the New York Giants after the team (finally!) decided to bench Daniel Jones. There are salary cap ramifications to this move, of course, but you should make no mistake about it. New York is officially tanking for Shedeur Sanders or Cam Ward or whoever it is they’ll decide is their future quarterback. They just know it won’t be that guy ever again. Who is that guy? Daniel Jones.

THE REAL IS BACK: Tommy DeVito’s agent has returned, much to the delight of everyone on staff here at For The Win. The memes, folks!

Meanwhile, in Dallas, Cooper Rush is the starting quarterback for the rest of the season as Dak Prescott deals with his hamstring injury. How’s that going? Well, the prevailing conversation after he threw just 45 yards against the Eagles two Sundays ago was about the sun shining too brightly in Jerry World. So there’s that.

This Thanksgiving day game is doomed. It will be awful. Maybe one of the worst games you’ve seen all season. Not only are these two teams bad, but they’ll be starting two of the worst quarterbacks in the league.

If you willingly watch this game, I can only assume that someone is paying you to do so, or you’re just a straight-up masochist. If you are, no judgment here! Well, actually. Maybe a little judgment. But it’s fine! Be you, homie.

Me? Well, this game is at 4:30 p.m. Eastern. I think that’s the perfect time for a lil turkey nap. That’s where I’ll be.

 Never miss a snap with 4th & Monday

What’s the sneaky-good NFL game of the week? Looking to dominate your fantasy league or survivor pool? Get pigskin prognostications, plus the top storylines each week with 4th & Monday, USA TODAY Sports’ expert guide to NFL action, game results and must-see moments.

Sign up here for our NFL newsletter and get that exclusive content delivered to your inbox each Friday and Monday during the season and every Monday in the offseason.

Dallas actually got a win on Sunday

UConn Huskies guard Paige Bueckers (5) reacts after a basket against the South Florida Bulls in the first half at Harry A. Gampel Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images
Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images

Paige Bueckers, you are (presumably) a Dallas Wing — much to the chagrin of Sparks fans, Sky fans and Mystics fans everywhere.

The Wings won the WNBA draft lottery on Sunday. And, while obviously not confirmed that Bueckers will be the No. 1 pick in the draft at this point, she will absolutely be the No. 1 pick in the draft when April rolls around.

Paige is the best player in the country right now. She’s averaging 21.3 points per game on 65 percent shooting from the field as a guard. The sample is small — we’re only three games into the season so far. But still, the production is gaudy. Bueckers is a surefire No. 1 pick.

Arike Ogunbowale and Wings GM Curt Miller are excited. The rest of the WNBA should not be. Bueckers is going to be a problem, folks.

De’Aaron Fox goes Super Saiyan

Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

It’s got to be the shoes, man.

In 24 hours over the weekend, De’Aaron Fox scored 109 points.

First, he dropped 60 points in a tough overtime loss to the Timberwolves. Anthony Edwards (who dropped 36 himself) hit a game-clinching shot that sealed the deal for Minnesota.

Then, he scored another 49 points against Utah the very next day in a clutch win over the Jazz.

This isn’t quite the same thing as Wilt Chamberlain scoring 100 points in a single game, but guys. This is insane. Losing a shoe couldn’t even stop the dude.

Only Wilt Chamberlain and Kobe Bryant have had scoring benders like this. Never would’ve thought Fox’s name might be included with those two, yet here we are.

Under Armour and the Curry Brand have to be thrilled.

Quick hits: Inside the NBA is saved … Josh Allen isn’t human … and more

— The NBA and TNT settled their lawsuit over the weekend and saved Inside the NBA. Cory Woodroof has the details.

— Here’s Christian D’Andrea on Josh Allen being Superman and more that we’ve learned from Week 11 in the NFL.

— Speaking of the Bills, Robert Zeglinski has more on how Buffalo finally has enough sauce to beat the Chiefs. They’ve just got to make it happen in January.

— Here’s Bryan Kalbrosky with the latest NBA Mock Draft, including one of Cooper Flagg’s teammates in the lottery.

— Prince Grimes’ Capture the Flagg column has been so fun in this early part of the NBA season. He makes the case that the Pelicans should tank it out.

— Here’s Charles Curtis on the Donald Trump dance taking over the NFL.

That’s a wrap, folks. Thanks so much for reading. Enjoy your Monday! Peace.

-Sykes ✌️

Stephen Curry seems like a terrible friend to Klay Thompson

Klay Thompson’s homecoming was all about him until it wasn’t.

This is For The Win’s daily newsletter, The Morning Win. Did a friend recommend or forward this to you? If so, subscribe here. Have feedback? Leave your questions, comments and concerns through this brief reader survey! Now, here’s Mike Sykes.

Good morning, Winners. Thanks so much for reading the Morning Win today. We appreciate you giving us a bit of your time.

You ever had a homie take over your birthday party? It’s not fun.

I remember when I was a kid at one of the last birthday parties I can remember. I got Pokémon Gold version —yes, this was a really long time ago, folks.

Everything around me stopped. I just had to play this game. Immediately. So I take it out of the box and throw it into my Gameboy Color — again, this was a very long time ago.

I’m playing it. The homies at the birthday party are watching. But then I come to a standstill. For some reason, I can’t win a certain battle. It’s embarrassing. So, one of the homies offers to give it a shot. And, whaddaya know, he wins! Nice. We can finally move on to the next town.

Except it’s not me who is moving to the next town. It’s the homie.

He just … didn’t give the game back. He kept playing until it was time for him to go. And I’m just watching. Watching someone else play my game and steal my thunder in front of the whole party, which was probably like three other kids at that point. The party was no longer mine — it was the other kid’s.

That was kind of how Klay Thompson’s return to the Chase Center on Tuesday went.

The adoring Warriors fans greeted him with a standing ovation while donning signature Klay Thompson captain hats. Every time he touched the ball, there was a cheer. It sounded like a home game for the Mavericks every time he shot it.

He may not play for the Warriors anymore, but those are still his fans, too. They showed him that much. He got the welcome home he always deserved. And, for a while there, it seemed like it would be his night. He hit six threes! He even did the Steph Curry shimmy after one of them.

Then, Steph took the game from him.

The Warriors’ star closed the game with a personal 12-0 run, punctuated by an absolutely ridiculous 3-pointer over Derek Lively II.  That’s just insane shot-making. He hit the Mavs with the night-night celebration and then reminded us who built the Chase Center.

Y’all can put on captain’s hats and cheer for Klay when he does well and be happy he’s back in the building again.

It might’ve been Thompson’s night, but don’t forget. It’s still all about Steph. It always will be in Golden State.

Colorado controls its own destiny

(Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

The latest College Football Playoff rankings were released on Tuesday with Oregon (1), Ohio State (2), Texas (3) and Penn State (4) rounding out the top four slots.

But that’s not the most interesting story here. Rather, it’s the position Deion Sanders and the Colorado Buffaloes (17) find themselves in.

A year ago, Sanders’ team completely floundered down the stretch after a 4-1 start. This season, after a return to the Big 12, Colorado controls its own destiny moving forward. They could win the conference!

Here’s Blake Schuster with more from his latest CFP winners and losers column:

“A week after the committee seemingly told the Big 12 it was only getting one team in the playoff, here comes the Buffaloes to challenge the narrative. Up three spots to No. 17 in this week’s rankings, Colorado controls its own destiny with remaining games against Utah, Kansas and Oklahoma State. None of those are cakewalks, but the Buffs will be favored in each matchup.

If both Colorado and BYU are undefeated heading into the Big 12 championship game, would the committee favor a one-loss conference runner-up over a two-loss SEC or Big Ten team?

Let’s hope we find get to out.”

It’s not completely surprising that the Buffs are here. This team is much better than last season and the schedule is a bit more favorable.

Potentially having this team in the playoff would be a huge win for college football. It can legitimately happen! Let’s see if the Buffs can hold up.

Stick to hoops, CC

(Photo by Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images)

Don’t get me wrong — Caitlin Clark is a solid golfer. She’s been spending her offseason so far golfing.

But maybe this is a sign to chill a bit on the golf! Clark nearly took out spectators at the Annika Sorenstam LPGA Pro-Am with her shot off the tee. It was mostly funny. But look at how close this was!

Sheesh, CC. She can drop 30-foot bombs on the court at a moment’s notice. But getting the ball down the green? That’s a struggle.

El. Oh. El.

Quick hits: Russell Okung’s super late victory lap … Erik Spoelstra pulled a Chris Webber … and more

— Russell Okung waited 4 years to dunk on Bitcoin haters. Someone should let him know people stopped caring 4 years ago. Blake Schuster has more.

— Jalen Rose was all of us after Erik Spoelstra called a timeout he didn’t have. Charles Curtis has more.

— Here’s Christian D’Andrea with his weekly quarterback rankings, including Joe Burrow’s awesome play for nothing.

— Here’s Michelle Martinelli with a look at the CFP bracket if the playoff started today. Justice for Indiana.

— Robert Zeglinski makes the argument that Matt Eberflus is still the Bears’ biggest problem.

— Here’s how you can get a dozen donuts for nothing from Krispy Kreme on World Kindness Day.

That’s a wrap, folks. Thanks so much for reading. Have a fantastic day. Peace.

-Sykes ✌️

The NBA Cup is back at a time when the league needs it to work the most

But will it? That’s the question.

This is For The Win’s daily newsletter, The Morning Win. Did a friend recommend or forward this to you? If so, subscribe here. Have feedback? Leave your questions, comments and concerns through this brief reader survey! Now, here’s Mike Sykes.

Good morning, Winners! Welcome to the Morning Win. Thanks so much for rocking with us today. We appreciate your time.

The NBA Cup starts on Tuesday! Remember that? I know it’s been a while.

This is the NBA’s in-season tournament for those of you out of the loop. It didn’t have a name last season, but now it has an expensive new sponsor and an official title: The Emirates NBA Cup. Exciting stuff.

KEEP UP WITH THE NBA: Subscribe to Layup Lines for more top-notch hoops analysis and nuanced perspective from the world of basketball

How it works is simple. Every team in the NBA is siloed off into one of six groups organized by conference. This year’s groups are as follows:

Eastern Conference Groups

  • Group A: Knicks, Magic, Nets, Hornets, 76ers
  • Group B: Bucks, Pacers, Heat, Raptors, Pistons
  • Group C: Celtics, Wizards, Cavaliers, Hawks, Bulls

Western Conference Groups

  • Group A: Timberwolves, Rockets, Clippers, Trail Blazers, Kings
  • Group B: Thunder, Lakers, Jazz, Spurs, Suns
  • Group C: Warriors, Mavericks, Pelicans, Nuggets, Grizzlies

The team with the best head-to-head record in group play wins the group. The winners of each group, along with two wild card teams, advance to play in the knockout rounds. From there, it’s like the playoffs in the middle of the regular season. The teams play until someone wins the championship.

It’s a simple yet fun process that brings a bit of spice to the NBA regular season — a product that critics of the league have argued has needed to be much spicier for years now.

The regular season matters in the sense that teams need to perform well in it to make the playoffs and win a championship. But it doesn’t feel like it matters. Teams rarely seem to be going full throttle on a night-to-night basis. There aren’t many rivalries that get people excited about certain regular-season matchups anymore. The 3-pointer takeover has created a bit of monotony to the game that makes the product less interesting for casual viewers.

Whether those criticisms of the league are entirely fair doesn’t matter. What does matter is that people are clearly tuning NBA basketball out. Ratings are dipping. Year over year, viewership has declined sharply since the start of the season. The league is currently competing against a lot, from the NFL to a monster of a World Series to a presidential election. Capturing attention during this time is tough.

That’s exactly why the NBA Cup has to work for the NBA.

It needs something to click. The league needs a spark. The tournament brings a bit of intrigue to the NBA regular season that wasn’t necessarily there before. The question is, will it work?

It can! Last year’s championship game did well. It was the most viewed non-Christmas NBA game since 2018. Part of that was likely the Lakers’ influence, certainly. But still. That’s a good sign for the league.

There seems to be something here. The NBA is doing its best to tap into it. We’ll have to see if it works long-term, but the league is smart to lean in as hard as possible on this.

Please be serious, Tua

Jan 7, 2024; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (1) looks on from the field prior to the game against the Buffalo Bills at Hard Rock Stadium.
Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports

I’m not one of those folks who winces every time Tua Tagovailoa takes some contact on the football field.

This is football, after all. The dude is going to get hit. His history with concussions is scary, but he knows the risk and is willing to take it on. That’s his choice. We shouldn’t fret over it ourselves if he isn’t.

With that said, I couldn’t help but cringe on Monday night when he dove headfirst to make a tackle after throwing an interception. Then he had the nerve to joke about it, writes Charles Curtis:

“Of course, Tagovailoa’s history of head injuries was on everyone’s minds — remember, he suffered another one earlier this season — but the Dolphins QB was OK after getting hit despite everyone’s concerns.

On top of that, he was asked about lowering his head after the game and he actually joked about it: “That was pretty bad tackling form, though,” he said with a smile.

Thank goodness it wasn’t much worse.”

Tua, buddy. Please. We want better for you. It would help if you wanted better for yourself.

Shane Waldron is out

(Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images)

Somebody had to take the fall for the Chicago Bears’ offensive struggles as of late. The team has only scored 27 points in its last three games. That’s unheard of.

There was talk about potentially benching Caleb Williams, but Matt Eberflus put that talk to bed.

Instead, offensive coordinator Shane Waldron takes the fall. Chicago reportedly let Waldron go on Tuesday morning. Eberflus released a statement on the decision:

“After evaluating our entire operation, I decided that it is in the best interest of our team to move in a different direction with the leadership of our offense. This decision was well-thought-out, one that was conducted deliberately and respectfully. I would like to thank Shane for his efforts and wish him the best moving forward.”

That’s a tough look for Waldron, but probably the right move. Benching Williams was a non-starter. He’s Chicago’s priority at this point. If it weren’t Waldron taking the fall here, it would’ve been Eberflus himself.

We’ll see how things go from here. But one thing is for sure: That hot seat is not cooling off just yet.

Quick hits: NFL Power Rankings … Nikola Jokic’s dominance … and more

— Here are Christian D’Andrea and Robert Zeglinski with their weekly NFL power rankings, including more on the Steelers surprising dominance so far this year.

— Here’s Robert on Nikola Jokic’s dominance keeping the Nuggets afloat in a tough Western Conference.

— Speaking of saviors, Prince Grimes writes that Joel Embiid is returning just in time to save the 76ers from the Cooper Flagg sweepstakes.

— Here’s Cory Woodroof with the 7 teams most likely to make a QB change in 2025.

— Here’s Tyler Netunno with CFB’s winners and losers for Week 11.

— This might be the best wrong answer Wheel of Fortune has ever blessed us with. Wow.

That’s a wrap, folks. Thanks so much for reading. We appreciate you. Have a fantastic day. Peace.

-Sykes ✌️

The Lions-Texans proves the NFL’s watchability problem this year is real

Football might have a watchability problem.

This is For The Win’s daily newsletter, The Morning Win. Did a friend recommend or forward this to you? If so, subscribe here. Have feedback? Leave your questions, comments and concerns through this brief reader survey! Now, here’s Mike Sykes.

Good morning, Winners! Welcome back to the Morning Win. Thanks so much for reading today. We appreciate you for giving us a bit of your time.

Did you see the Lions-Texans game Sunday night? If you did, I’m sorry.

I’m not going to lie to y’all — by the time Jared Goff threw his third interception, I tapped out. That game was unwatchable for me! There were seven total interceptions between the two quarterbacks and two fumbles (both recovered by the offense).

THE WORST QBS: Jared Goff is a lock on our grossest QB performance list this week.

I wasn’t subjecting myself to that foolishness. Yes, folks. I am saying I’m too good for sloppy football. Especially when the team I root for isn’t involved. If it’s my team?  Maybe I’ll stick it out. Otherwise? No. Absolutely not. Y’all are out of your minds.

This game was exciting, yes. But it was exciting in the same way that it’s exciting to watch a dumpster fire. When you see one, you’ve probably never seen one before. So you’re like, “WOW. A dumpster fire!” But then, you realize what you’re watching. And you’re like, “Huh. This is a dumpster fire.”

That’s the perfect way to describe the Lions’ improbable (and undeserving!) comeback. Detroit made history by being the first team since 1970 ever to throw at least five interceptions, be down by 15 points or more, and still find a way to win the game.

That’s awful. To me, it says much more about the game’s actual quality than it does about how resilient or awesome that comeback was. To pull off a comeback of that nature, your opponent has to kind of stink. And we’re talking about two teams who are supposed to be Super Bowl contenders here. The Lions might even be the best team in the NFL!

I guess it’s great to be able to find a way to win games no matter what. And y’all know I’m a Dan Campbell guy.

But, man. This was bad. I couldn’t do it. Sorry. I do not love football that much!

This game speaks to an overarching problem I think football has right now. The quality of play in the NFL just isn’t quite what it used to be. Tom Brady (of all people!) tried to warn us about this and we didn’t listen. But he was right: A lot of mediocre football is being played these days.

How do you fix this? I don’t know. But somebody needs to find a way. Because, man, a lot of these games stink.

 Never miss a snap with 4th & Monday

What’s the sneaky-good NFL game of the week? Looking to dominate your fantasy league or survivor pool? Get pigskin prognostications, plus the top storylines each week with 4th & Monday, USA TODAY Sports’ expert guide to NFL action, game results and must-see moments.

Sign up here for our NFL newsletter and get that exclusive content delivered to your inbox each Friday and Monday during the season and every Monday in the offseason.

Giannis is a child

Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images

That was Jaylen Brown’s response after Giannis Antetokounmpo left him hanging on Sunday.

The Bucks’ star elbowed the reigning Finals MVP in the head on an offensive foul during their matchup against one another. Giannis seemed to be making a piece offering to Brown when he did this instead.

I like it! Give me a little bit of spice in my hoops, man. This is fun. I mean, the elbow wasn’t fun. It was kind of dangerous. But it happens! The rest of this is a good time.

Brown got the last laugh with the 113-107 win. Antetokounmpo’s Bucks are 2-8 and still have a lot to figure out at this point.

But it seems the slow start hasn’t broken Antetokounmpo’s spirit. Not yet, anyway.

What’s up, WhatsApp!!!

Hey, gang! We’ve got a WhatsApp channel! No, we’re not going on an international vacation. This is a channel for you to keep up with everything we’re doing at For The Win. 

We’ll be posting the latest articles and videos from the site into the channel directly to you, our favorite Winners. 

Sign up for the channel here! We look forward to seeing you on WhatsApp. 

The Bears are … bad?

Oct 13, 2024; London, United Kingdom; Chicago Bears coach Matt Eberflus watches from the sidelines against the Jacksonville Jaguars in the second half during an NFL International Series game at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

A few weeks ago it looked like the Chicago Bears were in a solid position in a tough NFC North division.

They weren’t at the top, but at 4-2 they were in solid position to make a run if they could just scrounge up a few wins over the next few weeks.

Those next few weeks have not gone well. Chicago has only scored 27 points total in three straight losses. Worst of all? Robert Zeglinski says the Bears are breaking Caleb Williams:

“After a promising start to the year, the Bears appear to be breaking Caleb Williams, and they seem to be quitting on their coaches.

The Bears cannot continue on like this for another eight games. The players have clearly made their statement about how they feel about the current situation. Parading on with no meaningful changes whatsoever (offensive coordinator Shane Waldron getting fired/losing play-calling duties? Eberflus getting fired? Both getting fired?) would be a slap in the face to their current roster and any fans still, somehow, watching them.”

This team has got to have the worst vibe in the NFL by far.

Quick hits: What we learned in Week 10 … Jerry World’s big flaw … and more

— Here’s Christian D’Andrea on everything we learned from Week 10 in the NFL, including the Jets being a mess.

— The sun shining through the roof of AT&T stadium completely disrupted the game between the Cowboys and Eagles multiple times. Fans roasted Jerry Jones for defending it.

— Are we the Chiefs and Lions on a collision course for the Super Bowl? Week 10 makes you think so.

— Ricky Pearsall might be breaking out for the 49ers and that’s awesome to see. Here’s Charles Curtis on his fantasy impact.

— Bryce Yong, guys!!! He’s making progress. Maybe. Christian has more on that.

— Here’s Shawn Hoculi calling penalties in German. This is cool. Prince Grimes has more.

That’s a wrap, folks. Thanks so much for rocking with us today. We appreciate you.

Peace.

-Sykes ✌️

Zac Taylor wasted one of the best games ever from Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase

Zac Taylor, WYD???

This is For The Win’s daily newsletter, The Morning Win. Did a friend recommend or forward this to you? If so, subscribe here. Have feedback? Leave your questions, comments and concerns through this brief reader survey! Now, here’s Mike Sykes.

Good morning, family! Welcome back to the Morning Win. Thanks so much for rocking with us today. We appreciate you here.

Shoutout to Bengals fans out there. I know today is a bit of a rough day for you. It isn’t every day that your quarterback puts up nearly 500 passing yards and four touchdowns and your receiver catches 11 balls for 264 yards and three touchdowns and you somehow lose the game.

In fact, I’m not sure I’ve ever seen anything quite like this.

Personally? I blame Zac Taylor. I think you have to. That two-point conversion attempt? Come on, man. What are we doing here?

ZAC TAYLOR ROASTED: Fans let Taylor have it online after his ridiculous decision-making.

Look, I get it. You’re trying to end the game. After the Ravens put up 35 points on your defense, you probably don’t trust the unit to get the stop at that point in the game.

I also understand that the officials completely botched this one, too. Two key calls were missed on the attempt — roughing the passer and defensive holding. The gamble Taylor took here probably should’ve paid off with a score or, at the very least, another attempt a bit closer to the goal line.

Instead, the Ravens win. And Taylor’s Bengals — despite all-world performances from his stars — are 4-6. That’s thanks to his late-game decision-making.

Maybe this is just a bit too much Friday morning quarterbacking from me, but shouldn’t you just kick the extra point there? You’ve got to do everything you can to give Burrow and company a chance to win the game without completely risking it. Taylor reversed that and risked everything for a chance to win. Considering where Cincinnati is in its season, that’s far too risky.

Taylor made things way harder than they needed to be. The playoff race isn’t over for the Bengals, but it’s entirely possible the team’s hopes just collapsed along with that two-point conversion.

That may have cost Cincinnati its season. It’ll also probably cost Taylor his job.

The Bucks finally won again

Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images

After a six-game losing streak following a season-opening win, Milwaukee has finally won again.

That’s probably more about the team the Bucks played and less about the Bucks — the Jazz are all in for Cooper Flagg now. But whatever! Take the wins where you can get them, Milwaukee.

MORE ON FLAGG: The NBA needs him in the Eastern Conference.

Doc Rivers finally shook things up a bit and played Milwaukee’s young guys more. They started Andre Jackson Jr. and played AJ Green a bit more and — whaddaya know! — they were pretty good!

A win against the lowly Utah Jazz isn’t enough to quell the Giannis trade rumors that have been bubbling up. Legitimate concerns remain about whether Milwaukee can bounce back from its slow start.

But a win is a win. And it’s been a while since the Bucks had one of these. So they’ll certainly take it and run.

Candace Parker is spot on

TNT broadcaster Candace Parker during the Golden State Warriors game against the Phoenix Suns at Footprint Center
Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

In a world where women’s sports is bubbling up in a way we haven’t seen it before, many people are wondering why we’re just beginning to see this explosion. Why didn’t this happen before?

Candace Parker has the answers. It’s because it was buried and the networks that play it now had much to do with it.

Here, she talks about it in an interview on Bloomberg.

“The first time they put the Women’s NCAA game on ABC was the first year that Caitlin Clark made the championship game. Are you surprised that the viewership was up? Are you surprised that people actually saw the product? It was buried for so long on ESPN.

… 

The NBA doesn’t want to clash with NFL playoffs or NFL opening week. So why would we then put the WNBA? I don’t care if that’s the time slot that they’re giving you. Let’s fight for another one or let’s find something else.”

Couldn’t have said it any better.

Photo Friday: It’s a bird … It’s a plane … No! It’s Spiderman!

(Photo by Eugene Gologursky/Getty Images for Macy’s)

OK. This isn’t sports. But I know I can’t be the only one excited to see this awesome Spiderman float in the Thanksgiving Day parade. This looks fantastic.

Quick hits: CFB Spread Picks … The worst of the NFL … and more

— Here’s Michelle Martinelli with our weekly staff picks against the spread for the college football weekend.

— Cory Woodroof is ranking the top 10 teams in the NFL who could potentially get the No. 1 overall pick.

— Christian D’Andrea has his best bets for the NFL week and they include … DANIEL JONES?!?!?

— Kevin O’Connell giving words of encouragement to Anthony Richardson is so cool. Robert Zeglinski has more.

— Here’s Meg Hall on when Geno Auriemma could break the NCAA’s all-time wins record.

— Stephen A. Smith for president? Yikes, guys.

That’s a wrap, folks. Thanks so much for reading. Have a fantastic weekend. Peace.

-Sykes ✌️

It really must be 2016 again because the Warriors look awesome

Steph Curry is still cooking, but these Warriors are more than that.

This is For The Win’s daily newsletter, The Morning Win. Did a friend recommend or forward this to you? If so, subscribe here. Have feedback? Leave your questions, comments and concerns through this brief reader survey! Now, here’s Mike Sykes.

Good morning, folks! Welcome back to the Morning Win. Thanks so much for rocking with us today. We appreciate you giving us a bit of your time this morning.

Picture this: The nation is in disarray after a tumultuous and divisive election season. We’re all exhausted. You turn on the TV and, BOOM. There he is. Steph Curry, in all of his glory, shooting 3-point bombs over defenders tightly draped on his jersey.

That’s a sentence you could certainly have typed in 2016 when the Golden State Warriors were at their absolute apex — the Kevin Durant version.

The version of that team that we watched against the Celtics on Wednesday night is not that version — make no mistake about it. But I’d be lying to you if I said this team doesn’t give me that same peak-Warriors feeling I had back then.

I’m not going to lie to y’all: I thought the Warriors were dead. I thought they were done. Cooked, as they say.

Golden State’s golden trio disbanded when Klay Thompson left. He wasn’t good last season, but he was a key part of that team’s identity. I couldn’t believe it when it happened — most of you couldn’t either.

SPLASH BROS 4 LIFE: Steph still misses his buddy.

Usually, when losing a core piece that helped shape a team’s identity for years like Thompson did, it takes a while to recover. You have to find yourself again as a team.

I don’t think anybody had that team pegged as one of the best in the NBA coming into this season. But today? That’s exactly what that team is.

Golden State went toe-to-toe on the road with the reigning champion Boston Celtics and gave one of the best defensive efforts we’ve seen against that team in a long, long time. The Warriors held Boston to 16 second-quarter points — the team’s lowest-scoring quarter this season so far.

The Warriors are impressive again. This looks like a championship outfit. We’re only eight games into the season, but the team’s +15.5 point differential says as much. And, remember, three of those games were played without Steph Curry. He’s the straw that stirs the drink, sure. But the mix of talent is good. It’s working in a way that we all thought couldn’t work again. It’s been fun to see.

There are some caveats to throw in here. The Celtics are not healthy. Jaylen Brown didn’t play for a third straight game because of a hip injury. Kristaps Porzingis has been out all season. If all goes according to plan for Boston, this is not the complete team they’ll be playing with into June.

With that said, this is still a really impressive win. And, it’s way too early for championship predictions, but I know I’d love to see seven more of these things this summer.

Sending love to Pop

Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

Gregg Popovich hasn’t been on the Spurs’ sideline recently because of an undisclosed health issue that, quite frankly, has me concerned.

It has our Prince Grimes concerned, too. He wrote about it in Wednesday’s edition of the Layup Lines newsletter (subscribe here!). Prince asks us to keep Popovich in our thoughts the same as he’s kept all of us in his through all these years.

What a beautiful thought. Here’s more:

“It’s obviously too soon to jump to any conclusions, and we can take comfort in interim coach Mitch Johnson saying Popovich will be OK. But today especially feels like a good time to send thoughts and well wishes to Popovich. For one, because it’s the human thing to do. But also because Popovich always seems to have us in his thoughts, with a big emphasis on “US.”

Pop has never been shy about using his platform to speak about the most pressing issues facing our country. Even when it hasn’t been the most beneficial for him to do so, he’s delivered strong messages on social issues in times we’ve seemed most divided — like we do today. Popovich frequently uses his voice to speak for people whose voices can’t reach the places his can. Even if that means sparring with the former and future president.”

Wise words, as usual, from Prince.

Dak may be done

(Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images)

The news about Dak Prescott’s hamstring injury has progressively gotten worse and worse with each update.

First, he was shifted to an injured reserve slot for the Cowboys, signaling that he’d be out for the next four weeks at least. Now, it seems, the quarterback might need season-ending surgery on his hamstring, according to the latest from the Dallas Morning News. 

THE REPLACEMENTS: Here are five potential replacements for Prescott, including his current backups.

Prescott reportedly suffered a partial avulsion of his right hamstring tendon. To be frank with you, I have no idea what any of that means, but none of it sounds good. It’s apparently bad enough that team officials are trying to determine whether surgery is the right route to go.

At this point, you might as well, Dallas’ season isn’t going great, anyway. There’s no sense in keeping Prescott around and rushing him back to play on a bad hamstring. Just end the season right here.

Maybe next year will be the year, Dallas fans. Probably not. But you never know!

Quick hits: Carrying Caitlin Clark’s torch … Pope Francis is a Saints fan??? … and more

— Here’s Meg Hall on Taylor McCabe shooting logo threes at Iowa like Caitlin Clark did. This is wonderful.

— Pope Francis keeps tweeting about the Saints and I know he’s not doing it on purpose but it feels like it’s on purpose. Anyway, Charles Curtis has more.

— Cory Woodroof has 10 NFL free agents who could change the second half of the season for a team.

— Steve Kerr delivered a MAGA joke after the Warriors win. If you need a laugh after yesterday, please click.

— LeBron James delivered a heartfelt message about his daughter after the election on Wednesday. Bryan Kalbrosky has more.

— Here’s the Starbucks Holiday menu! Thanks, Charles.

That’s a wrap, folks. Thanks so much for reading. We appreciate your time. Have a great day.

Peace.

-Sykes ✌️

It’s hard to write about sports today.

These are the toughest times.

This is For The Win’s daily newsletter, The Morning Win. Did a friend recommend or forward this to you? If so, subscribe here. Have feedback? Leave your questions, comments and concerns through this brief reader survey! Now, here’s Mike Sykes.

Good morning, Winners. Thanks for reading the Morning Win today. Thank you for visiting our site. You could’ve been anywhere on the internet, but you’re here with us. And that means a lot. Especially today.

I won’t skip over the elephant in the room. Tuesday began one of the most consequential elections in recent American history. That buzzer hasn’t officially sounded yet, but at this point everyone is just playing until the final whistle. Donald Trump will be the president of the United States again.

I’m not sure where you stand on that. I won’t completely get into where I stand on that, mostly because if you’re reading this, you likely already know. But, honestly, I don’t think it much matters anymore. The results are the results and we all have to live with them.

But that’s the thing I’m struggling with the most today. How do we live with them? How are we supposed to carry on from here?

For The Win is where you come to be on the internet when you need a reprieve from everything else. We like to poke fun at things. We try not to take ourselves too seriously. We love to have a good time and we love to show everyone else a good time, too.

But it’s hard to have a good time today, knowing that our country has descended into an irreparable state.

America is supposed to be a nation with a people that stand together, “indivisible, with liberty and justice for all,” as they say. That’s supposed to be what sets us apart from the other nations in our world. Through everything, we’re supposed to prioritize compromise and togetherness over the herd mentality that seems to plague this country we all love. It’s not supposed to be “us vs. them,” yet that’s what it’s felt like for these last eight years.

That’s the pervasive feeling I see out there this morning. It’s everywhere. On my social feeds. In my text threads. Everywhere. It’s inescapable. I don’t blame people, given the circumstances of everything going on today. I won’t sit here and act as if I’m immune to it or above it myself. But it’s just so difficult to reconcile as someone who loves our country and wants to have faith in its people.

So that’s where I’m at today. I’d love to write about the College Football Playoff rankings or Joel Embiid’s suspension or — quite literally — anything else today. But the divisiveness permeating our country has become a hard pill for me to swallow, as I’m sure it is for you, too.

I don’t know how we move forward from here. I don’t know what awaits us on the horizon. But I just hope that one way or another, we can find a way back to where things once were before everything got all weird.

Because this ain’t it.

While you were doomscrolling …

(Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)

The year’s first college football playoff rankings dropped. And, while I won’t write about them myself today, our Blake Schuster had a take that I think is worthwhile to consider on the topic.

Oregon is at the top with Ohio State (2), Georgia (3) and Miami (4) trailing. OSU has the best odds to win the entire thing. But things will change. Inevitably. That’s the nature of this beast.

Here’s Blake with more:

“A year ago, when the first rankings were released, Ohio State was No. 1, Georgia was No. 2 and Florida State was No. 4. None of those teams made the final four-team field.

With an expanded 12-team playoff this season, the first rankings should tell us more about which teams are on the bubble than which teams are safely in.

That doesn’t mean Tuesday’s rankings don’t have any impact. Already we’re seeing the way the national title odds are changing based on the committee’s first poll.”

It’s going to be a long, weird season, folks.

Quick hits: CFP Winners and Losers … NFL Trade Deadline takes … and more

— Here’s Blake Schuster with winners and losers from the first round of the College Football Playoff rankings.

— Christian D’Andrea has five teams that got better and three that got worse at the NFL trade deadline. 

— And here’s Christian, again, with his weekly QB rankings. Lamar Jackson remains the best of the best.

— Here’s Robert Zeglinski with trade deadline winners and losers, including a take on Jerry Jones.

— Here were 8 election day distractions we came up with as a staff that might still be applicable for you today.

— Here’s Meg Hall with the best moments from day 1 of women’s college basketball.

That’s a wrap, folks. Thanks for reading. Please, be well today. Peace. See you tomorrow.

-Sykes ✌️

Tuesday is a very scary day but, somehow, we will get through … the NFL trade deadline

Today is kind of scary! But no need to worry. Whatever happens, happens.

This is For The Win’s daily newsletter, The Morning Win. Did a friend recommend or forward this to you? If so, subscribe here. Have feedback? Leave your questions, comments and concerns through this brief reader survey! Now, here’s Mike Sykes.

Good morning, Winners! Welcome back to TMW. Thanks so much for reading this morning. We appreciate you giving us a bit of your time.

Especially on a day like today. It’s so crucial. Things can change for the better in your life — or maybe they get worse. That’s the thing, right? We have very little control over the end result. We just have to live with it.

Whether your team makes a trade at the NFL trade deadline or not, you kind of just have to go with the flow.

LET THE TRADES FLY: Here’s our NFL trade deadline tracker with every major deal included.

And, look. I get it. This is the NFL trade deadline — not the NBA. Though we’ve seen more deals in recent years, we’re not talking about the most transaction-heavy league. Plus, as Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio said, most deadline trades have middling results unless you’re dealing for absolute stars. Usually, those stars aren’t actually on the market. So maybe a move helps your team make a playoff push. It still probably won’t go to the Super Bowl.

But, hey! Maybe your team lands the big one. Maybe the trade your squad makes actually does make it that much better than everyone else. Or maybe your team just dealt your favorite player to save a buck or two this offseason (that’s the trade that hurts the most, btw).

Regardless of whether your team makes a move or stands pat, you will make it through today. You’re tough. You can handle what’s coming around the corner, no matter the result.

That goes for the trade deadline and, yes, that other thing happening today, too.

The stars are out

(Photo by Catherine Steenkeste/Getty Images)

Monday was a huge day of basketball. All 30 NBA teams played because the league took off for election day on Tuesday.

On top of that, both men’s and women’s college basketball returned. We had huge season debuts for stars on both sides.

— Juju Watkins dominated in USC’s opening game against Ole Miss with 27 points, 10 rebounds, four assists, five blocks and three steals. Oh, and a bloody nose. She’s really like that. 

— Olivia Miles played her first game in over a year since tearing her ACL in 2023. She came back in a big way with a 20-point-10 assist-10 rebound triple-double and a Notre Dame win.

— Cooper Flagg made his debut for Duke in the Blue Devils’ season opener against Maine. He finished with 18 points, seven rebounds, five assists and a monster jam. It feels like the Zion Williamson era at Duke all over again.

— Derik Queen is a name you’re probably not familiar with at this point, but you should get familiar with him. The Maryland freshman had a 22 point, 20 rebound season-opening performance in 26 minutes against Manhattan. That dude is nice.

We are so back, folks. College hoops are going to be so fun this year.

Speaking of fun … the most pointless, yet incredible, dunk ever

Mandatory Credit: James Snook-Imagn Images

I don’t care that it was only the first game of the year. I don’t care that Baylor was down by 500 points to Gonzaga. I don’t care that, ultimately, this play won’t matter at all in the grand scheme of the season.

V.J. Edgecombe just gave us one of the most beautiful dunks over someone that we’ll ever see.

This is a legitimate poster, folks. It’s somebody’s home screen on their phone now. Edgecome absolutely destroyed this poor dude. 

Baylor might’ve lost the game. But, to me, you’ve gotta put this in the W column now. Sorry. You can’t get dunked on like that and be rewarded for it. It just feels off.

Quick hits: Dak Prescott replacements … NFL Power Rankings … and more

— Dak Prescott is headed to the IR for the Cowboys. Christian D’Andrea gives us the next best options for Dallas here.

— Here’s Christian and Robert Zeglinski’s latest NFL power rankings, where they still have a strong belief in Joe Burrow to carry the Bengals.

— Prince Grimes has your betting lines ready for Week 10 in the NFL.

— College basketball is back. That means so is Kim Mulkey, who already has her first technical foul of the year. Meg Hall has more on that.

— Speaking of NFL trades, here’s Christian with trade grades for the Lions’ and Browns’ Za’Darius Smith deal.

— Here’s Tyler Netunno with the winners and losers for Week 10 in college football, headlined by another letdown for Penn State.

That’s a wrap, folks. Thanks so much for reading. We appreciate you! In all seriousness, today might be a stressful day for you. But try to find the time to do something you love for a bit and relieve some of that stress. Hopefully, this newsletter itself gives you a bit of an escape!

Peace. Talk to you soon.

-Sykes ✌️

Derek Carr needs some new friends because he doesn’t have any on the Saints

Derek Carr needs a buddy.

This is For The Win’s daily newsletter, The Morning Win. Did a friend recommend or forward this to you? If so, subscribe here. Have feedback? Leave your questions, comments and concerns through this brief reader survey! Now, here’s Mike Sykes.

Good morning, folks! Welcome back to the Morning Win. Thanks so much for rocking with us this morning. We appreciate you giving us some of your time today. Hope you had an excellent weekend.

I can tell you who did not: Derek Carr. That man is going through it today.

First of all, he made NFL history in the worst kind of way. After falling to the lowly Carolina Panthers (!!!!) on Sunday, Carr is the first quarterback in league history to lose to 31 different teams. Thirty one! Folks, that’s really hard to do. In that sense, Carr has accomplished a lot.

Second, the man’s coach is gone now, too. Dennis Allen was the guy who believed in Carr in New Orleans. Now, he’s out! Another Carr coach gone in the middle of the season. It’s not all his fault — injuries have played a huge part in the Saints’ downfall. But still. It’s a tough situation to be in.

What’s worse is that, even after the loss, Carr’s no-good, awful, very bad day somehow got worse. He just doesn’t seem to have many friends in New Orleans these days. Everyone is roasting the man.

His former teammate, Michael Thomas, took to Twitter to absolutely lambast Carr. He wasn’t happy after Carr threw an ill-advised pass to Chris Olave, which injured the receiver gravely. It’s hard to blame Thomas for feeling the way he does here. But still! His words were pretty harsh.

That’s one former teammate giving him grief. There’s also at least one current teammate doing the same. Defensive tackle Khalen Saunders roasted his team after the loss. He also (jokingly???) offered to play quarterback to have “something fun to watch.”

I don’t even think Saunders means to take a shot at Carr there. He’s just cracking jokes to keep things a bit light. But, still, that’s an indictment on the quarterback. Carr isn’t getting the job done and his teammates seem pretty bothered by it.

Remember when the Saints were the best 2-0 team in NFL history? Sheesh, man. Wild times, right? Feels like so long ago.

Derek Carr was in the way-too-early MVP conversations. People were talking about how he’d finally cracked the code. He’d figured it out. He’d ascended into being the quarterback that he was always supposed to be. Or, at least, the one fans were sold on.

Now, here he is. Breaking loss records and getting roasted by his teammates, old and new. Tough times.

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MVP isn’t a QB award this year

Sep 29, 2024; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry (22) takes a moment before the start of the game against the Buffalo Bills at M&T Bank Stadium.
Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

Usually, MVP is an award that goes to the best quarterback in the league. But, with how things look today, Derrick Henry has to be considered the pretty clear frontrunner, Robert Zeglinski writes.

He’s on pace to become the first back in NFL history to rush for 2,000 yards twice in a career and is doing it despite defenses knowing he’s coming right at them.

“For all intents and purposes, Henry is having one of the greatest seasons by a running back in NFL history. In 2024. At the near-height of a passing renaissance driven by perhaps the highest floor of quarterback play ever across the league. The Ravens know how to get him downhill, and they know how to optimize him, even in a fashion the Tennessee Titans probably couldn’t fathom.

How do I know this?

The elite Broncos defense started selling out on Henry by putting all 11 defenders in the box, and he still gashed it time and time again. I’ve been watching NFL football for nearly 20 years. I don’t think I’ve seen a running back have his way with a top-of-the-line defense like that. It was jarring to see it happen live.”

That sounds like the MVP to me. In a quarterback-driven league, Henry has been the best player. He should be rewarded for that — especially if he makes history while doing it.

What’s up, WhatsApp!!!

Hey, gang! We’ve got a WhatsApp channel! No, we’re not going on an international vacation. This is a channel for you to keep up with everything we’re doing at For The Win. 

We’ll be posting the latest articles and videos from the site into the channel directly to you, our favorite Winners. 

Sign up for the channel here! We look forward to seeing you on WhatsApp. 

Joel Embiid’s dust-up isn’t OK, but it’s understandable

Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

Violence is never a good thing. There should always be room for civil discourse in tense situations. Once things escalate, you never know where they can go. It’s unpredictable.

That’s why when Joel Embiid reportedly shoved a reporter in the 76ers locker room over the weekend, it was incredibly worrisome.

The altercation was with a columnist who brought up Embiid’s brother who died in a car accident in his latest work. The 76ers star was understandably upset by that. He reportedly confronted the columnist in the locker room, and words eventually escalated to a shove.

While it certainly isn’t good that things went this far, our Prince Grimes writes this was simply the columnist’s words coming home to roost.

“Using Embiid’s family the way Hayes did was disgusting and completely unnecessary for a critique about how much Embiid plays. I firmly believe in keeping your hands to yourself, but Embiid’s reaction is not hard to understand. If anything, it should be a lesson learned for the entire sports media industry that some things are off limits.

Hayes seemed to understand as much, apologizing on X for the Oct. 23 column just a few hours after it published and removing any mention of Embiid’s family. That it was possible to edit without changing the column proves how unnecessary that part was to begin with.”

Anytime you’re publishing something about someone else for all to see — whether it’s a column or a blog post or a simple tweet! — make sure that it’s something you’d be willing to say to that person’s face.

Otherwise, it probably shouldn’t see the light of day.

Quick hits: Jordan Love can’t be trusted … Matt Eberflus is on the hot seat … and more

— Here’s Christian D’Andrea with everything we learned from Week 9, including why we shouldn’t trust Jordan Love for now.

— The Bears looked broken against the Cardinals and Matt Eberflus’ job is likely at risk because of it, Robert Zeglinski writes.

— Prince Grimes’ “Capture the Flagg” column is brilliant. Everyone is tanking for Cooper Flagg.

—Here’s Christian again with the grossest QB performances of Week 9

— Here’s Andrew Joseph on the wacky TD celebration that took over football this weekend.

— Like Gene Steratore, I am also confused about this Saquon Barkley fumble. Mary Clarke has more.

That’s a wrap, folks! Thanks so much for reading. We appreciate you. Happy Monday! Let’s do this again tomorrow. Peace.

-Sykes ✌️