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tripleaxeldiaz · 3 years

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maybe one day i’ll fly next to you

chapter 7/8

read on ao3

start from the beginning

“Thought I’d find you out here.”

The balcony door slides shut behind Maddie, muffling the laughter and chatter coming from her apartment.

“Just like last time,” Buck says. He smiles as she sits down next to him on the bench, throws an arm around her shoulders as she curls into his side. It’s a cool night, but he’s warm from the apartment and the champagne they’ve been drinking (“no liquor during the season” rule be damned), so it’s nice. Nicer still now that Maddie’s here.

“Yeah, but this time is a lot happier,” she says.

It’s true. Four years ago, they were in this same spot at the opposite end of the emotional spectrum — neither going to the Games, Buck with a busted leg, and Maddie without a partner after Doug placed full blame on her for not making the team and dropped her. They’d stayed out all night talking, saying their worst fears and insecurities — about the offseason, the next Olympic cycle, the rest of their careers — into the night, hoping the breeze would take them away and make them feel better. It didn’t, not once the sun came up, but for a while, they could pretend.

Now they sit in the silence that they so often find themselves in together, washed in the lights hanging around the balcony and the sounds of their friends — their family — celebrating inside. They’re in a bubble of happiness now that neither of them wants to break before they have to.

“It doesn’t feel real yet,” Buck says finally. “It still feels like tomorrow Bobby’s gonna call me into his office and say that there’s been a mistake.”

Maddie shakes her head. “There’s no mistake. You earned that spot. We all did.”

Buck rests his cheek on the top of her head. “I’m really proud of you.” She’s been his inspiration for as long as he can remember, the reason he stumbled into this sport that’s become his everything, and to see her dreams finally come true is in some ways better than his own. She was there for everything, exponentially more than their parents ever were, and he can’t even begin to think of how to repay her.

“I’m really proud of you too,” she says. “For everything, not just making the team.”

He blames the stinging in his eyes on the wind and kisses the top of her head as they fall back into quiet, enjoying the peace of the night for a little while longer before rejoining the party inside.

~~~~~~~~~~

Buck basically lives at the rink for the next 15 days, even manages to sleep there a couple nights in a row before Eddie drags him back to his place for actual rest. Every day there’s something new he finds — a jump that needs a cleaner landing, an edge that needs to be deeper, a spin that needs to go faster. Little bits that add up to less than perfect, and they’re putting him more and more on edge as the days tick by. He’s got other responsibilities too — press packages, photoshoots, commercials, interviews — and it’s all a whirlwind, flying past him before he can get a chance to really wrap his head around it all. He’s dreamed of this moment for years, of being able to represent his country and see his face in commercials credited as Olympian, and it’s every bit as gratifying and incredible as he’d hoped, he just wishes everything would slow down for a minute so he can actually enjoy it.

But it all just keeps moving, so he takes everything as it comes and tries to live in the moments as much as he can, to live in the positives instead of worrying about the negatives that are threatening to crack him if he thinks about them for too long.

The whirlwind turns into a hurricane once they land in Beijing — as soon as they’re through customs, there’s flashbulbs and reporters shouting at them in multiple languages, fans pushing through the crowd for their own photo ops. Eddie’s got that caged animal look in his eyes again as they make their way to the exit, so Buck grabs his hand and squeezes, lets him know he’s still here, they’re here together, and he’ll shove through the crowd to get them out if he has to.

He hopes someone gets a picture of the smile Eddie gives him. He wants it printed and framed and hung on his wall where he can always see it.

The Olympic Village itself is like a luxury apartment complex — 15 high rise buildings with smaller ones around them, housing dorms for every athlete, cafeterias, workout rooms, a general store, even a post office. They have just enough time after the tour to drop their bags in their rooms before they’re whisked off to the Olympic Park to get their credentials and a first look at the skating arena. It looks like any other arena on the outside — big, industrial, a looming presence over the rest of the buildings — but it’s what’s going to happen inside, or what might not happen, that makes it feel all the more imposing, like it’s waiting to swallow everyone whole.

They’re all at dinner when he really starts to feel overwhelmed. As much as he wants to talk with the team and mingle with friends and acquaintances he hasn’t seen in years, he feels twitchy and uncomfortable and everything is just the wrong side of loud. He excuses himself, blaming jet lag and an early workout session, and he ignores Eddie’s concerned gaze as he makes his way back to their room. He flops onto the bed, the only light coming from the dim lamp on the nightstand and the view of the city skyline from their balcony, and he tries to get himself to relax, to settle the electricity jumping all over him.

He doesn’t notice Eddie come in the room until he feels the bed shift, sees him crawl up his body until they’re face to face, Eddie’s arms bracketing his head as he gently rests his weight on Buck.

“You okay?” he asks.

Buck shrugs, hands coming up to rest on Eddie’s hips. “None of this felt real before today, and now we’re here and...I don’t know, it’s almost too real. It’s a lot to take in.”

Eddie hums and leans down, places a feather light kiss in between Buck’s eyebrows where he knows he scrunches up when he’s upset. “Do you need anything from me?”

Buck threads a hand through Eddie’s hair, firm so he doesn’t go too far. “You,” he says, because it’s true — Eddie’s the only thing he wants to see or feel or think about until he feels settled in his own skin again. “Just need you.” He pulls Eddie down and kisses him, unhurried, wanting to take his time and get lost in it, will his brain to shut off and just be. Eddie drops down to his elbows, pushing them even closer together, and Buck gasps softly as their cocks brush together, both of them well on their way to hard. Eddie takes the opportunity to lick into Buck’s mouth and Buck melts, sure it’ll only take a few minutes like this for him to come in his pants like a teenager.

But that’s the opposite of what he wants right now, so he flips them both over until he’s straddling Eddie’s hips and starts kissing down his neck, his hands finding the hem of his t-shirt and slowly pulling it up and off. He takes his time, savors the way Eddie’s breath stutters as Buck swirls a tongue around his nipple, chases the blush moving down his chest with open mouth kisses. Eddie tugs at his shirt, and Buck is more than happy to oblige, stripping it as he moves back up to kiss Eddie again, deeply, soundly, relieved that he can feel the crackling anxiety tone itself down, turn into simmering want instead as he tastes more and more of Eddie.

“Lube?” Buck asks, because Eddie’s hot under his hands and his pants are feeling more than tight and he needs to be in Eddie right now or he’s going to lose it.

“In my bag,” Eddie says, kissing down Buck’s jaw and working his pants down.

“And condoms?”

He feels Eddie smirk into his skin. “I think there are some in that welcome basket they gave us.”

Buck thanks whoever’s listening that those rumors were true. He only trips a little bit as he gets up and grabs everything and strips the rest of the way. When he turns back, Eddie’s stripped too, miles and miles of skin laid out on the bed and Buck’s certain he’s glowing and it’s not just his imagination this time and—

“God you’re gorgeous.” It’s worth it to see Eddie’s blush get impossibly deeper and move further down his chest.

He kisses Eddie again, a little more frantic, slicking up his fingers and swallowing the moan Eddie lets out when he starts rubbing at his entrance. He works his way in slowly, with every intention of still taking his time, but Eddie’s sighing into his mouth, an unconscious string of “please please please” tumbling out with it, and Buck doesn’t want to deny Eddie anything, ever, as long as he can help it. He moves faster, working in a second finger, then a third, scissoring Eddie open until he’s shaking and panting underneath him.

“Come on, Buck, please—” Buck cuts him off with a searing kiss, pulling away long enough to tear the condom open and roll it on, and then he’s kissing Eddie again and pushing into him, and he’s hot and tight and perfect, and Buck almost blacks out. He picks up a rhythm, steady but not teasing, and tastes every part of Eddie he can reach — his jaw, his neck, his chest, his shoulders and back again. Eddie’s everywhere, completely surrounding him, and he chases his orgasm as it builds in his gut, finesse and any attempt at taking his time quickly forgotten. He can tell Eddie’s close too, feels him clenching down around him, and Buck gets a hand on Eddie’s cock between them, stroking him in time with his thrusts. Eddie bites down on Buck’s shoulder as he comes, spilling hot onto Buck’s hands and on their stomachs, and it only takes a few more thrusts for Buck to follow, the edges of his vision whiting out with the force of it.

He drops down just enough to bury his face in the crook of Eddie’s neck as they both come down, still wanting — needing — to be surrounded by him. When he can finally breathe again, he pulls out and makes his way to the bathroom, throwing out the condom before finding a washcloth in a cabinet. Eddie’s half asleep when he gets back, but perks up as Buck cleans them both up and manhandles him until they're both under the covers. The bed is on the smaller side to fit two full grown men, but it’s all the more excuse for Buck to plaster himself to Eddie, an arm thrown firmly over his chest and their legs tangled together.

They lay in the quiet, the only sounds coming from the city below, and Buck finally feels calm, or at least calm enough that his mind’s not racing. His eyes get heavier and heavier, lulled by Eddie’s breathing underneath him and the random shapes he can feel him trace on his back.

“Still okay?” Eddie whispers, stopping his drawing and wrapping his arm around Buck fully.

Buck nods and closes his eyes. “Still just need you.”

Eddie kisses his forehead and whispers, “I’m not going anywhere.” Buck falls asleep with a smile on his face and I love you echoing in his head.

~~~~~~~~~~

“Team USA, get ready, you’re up next!”

Everyone around Buck starts jumping and cheering, hustling toward the exit to get ready for their march in the Parade of Nations. It was almost easy to forget that’s why they’ve been waiting in the bowels of the stadium for two hours in the first place — watching the performances on TV screens placed around the room didn’t quite translate to the fact that they too would be out there soon enough, decked out in full red, white, and blue, waving at the fans and supporters that have traveled from all over the world to watch them compete. It’s how Buck’s watched the opening ceremony ever since he was a kid anyway — glued to the TV, trying to pick out his favorite skaters from other countries as they marched through, picturing himself there so clearly he could practically feel the wind on his face, hear the roar of the crowd so loudly it was like the were in his living room.

It was a fantasy then, but it’s reality now, and Buck wishes he could go back and tell his six year old self that he will get here, and it will feel every bit as amazing as he imagined it would.

By the time they make it to their seats, Buck’s arms feel heavy from waving for five straight minutes, his cheeks hurt from smiling in a million different selfies, and he’s shivering in his designer Team USA uniform.

He wishes he could stay in this moment forever.

There’s some more performances about unity and peace and everything else the Olympics are supposed to represent, until finally, a torchbearer runs into the stadium, carrying the Olympic flame that’s made its way here all the way from Athens. They pass it to the final torchbearer, a decorated Chinese speed skater, who runs it up the short hill to the cauldron, lighting it from below. The flames grow and fireworks go off, people start cheering and dancing around him again, and for all the pinching himself he’s had to do since they announced the team, this is the most real thing he’s felt and may ever feel. The flame in him is blazing too, ready to be set free, and it burns brighter still when he looks to Eddie, his smile wide and his eyes sparkling. In all his wildest dreams, he never imagined being at the Olympics with someone who makes him feel like he’s already won something, but now that he is, that desire to win just keeps growing, fueling the flame more and more.

He kisses Eddie’s cheek and joins in on the celebration. They’ll party tonight and into the morning, but then, it’s back to business.

He’s here for a medal, and whatever the next two weeks try to throw his way, he is not going home empty handed.

~~~~~~~~~~

“I’m gonna throw up.”

“There’s still four teams before they skate, Buck.”

“Perfect, plenty of time to throw up.”

Eddie just shakes his head and focuses back on the ice as the Russian team hits their final pose. As each team gets their scores and doesn’t monumentally fuck up, Buck gets more and more nervous for Maddie and Chim. It’s not that he doubts them, it’s more like he doubts the entire scoring system — they’re only in first by two tenths of a point after the rhythm dance, and anyone could pull ahead enough to beat them at the last minute.

He knows they’ll be amazing. They’re always amazing. Their win just depends on whether or not the judges agree with him today.

The final group comes out to warm up, and Buck and Eddie are on their feet, flags waving high above their heads and cheering with the rest of the supporters’ section. Maddie and Chim spot them from the ice and wave before quickly schooling themselves back into performance mode. They look incredible — Chim in all black and Maddie sparkling in her gold dress — and Buck’s stomach clenches again in the hope that she’ll have a matching medal when it’s all over.

He feels Eddie nudge him as they sit back down. “You still with me?”

Buck smiles at him and it’s easy, real, despite the nerves still swimming around in him. “Just thinking about how this reminds me of our first date.”

Eddie scrunches his nose. “Autumn Classic was not our first date.”

“It kind of was,” Buck says, shrugging.

“You barely wanted me there, if I remember correctly. Plus May was there too.”

“Okay, so it wasn’t perfect.”

“No,” Eddie says, slipping his hand into Buck’s. “But I think this date makes up for it.”

They fall into an easy running commentary after that, and it’s enough to distract Buck and keep his anxiety at bay. If he tries, he can pretend they are at Autumn Classic again, where the stakes were lower and anything felt possible. It makes him a little less nervous for Maddie and Chim, and a little less nervous for himself, too. The mens’ event starts tomorrow, and it’ll be his turn to get on the ice and prove himself to the judges and most of the world watching from home. If he just keeps pretending it’s the beginning of the season — and not the potentially crushing end — maybe he’ll be able to keep it together.

The announcer introduces Maddie and Chim, and seeing them on the ice, looking confident and excited and ready, settles Buck even more. Their program is classic — classic music, classic costumes — but still fun and technically top notch and undeniably them, and the audience is mesmerized from the very first steps. They hit every line, every pose, every lift, and by the time they transition from the soft tones of “Fever” to the ripping guitar of “Burning Love”, the audience is all in, clapping along to the beat and loudly cheering them on. They hit their final pose, and the whole arena is on their feet, and louder still once they get their final score.

Buck’s not great at math, but he’s pretty sure the last team will need a miracle to beat them.

He holds his breath anyway, right up until the end, until the final team’s score is announced, and Maddie and Chim are officially gold medalists. It’s a blur of celebrating after that, but everything clears enough for Buck to get a perfect view of the medal ceremony and Maddie and Chim’s faces, beaming with joy and slight disbelief, even as the medals are slipped over their heads.

Buck’s proud, unbelievably so, and happy beyond belief for his sister, but the nerves are churning in him even faster, because now it feels like there’s a precedent, an expectation that he and the rest of Bobby’s skaters will do as well as their teammates. He’s always aiming for gold, but now it feels like it’s necessary, like anything less will be devastating instead of just disappointing. And then what about Eddie? He wants to win just as much as Buck, and Buck wants him to do well, but they can’t have a tie, one of them is going to do better than the other. And won’t that make it all the more heartbreaking when it’s not Buck that comes out on top?

He shoves all that away for now as he and Eddie fight their way through the crowd and down to the green room, because it’s too much and it doesn’t matter, at least not today. What matters is that Maddie is running into his arms, still happy crying, and he lets himself be completely wrapped up in her joy.

He’s proud of her. That’s one thing he knows for sure. That’s what he focuses on and hopes it’s enough to keep the voices quiet until tomorrow.

#buddie #evan buckley #eddie diaz #911 fox #buddie fic #911 fic #9-1-1 #the last chapter got LONG so here's part 1 #i can't believe it's almost over!!#ficcery

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saint-patrice · 4 years

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thank you @kureally!💛

pretty surprised that this isn’t one i’ve done already, but the day has come and i would invite you all to join me in delving into some photos of the canadian hockey spectacle known as travis konecny!

see here for other posts like this one! i am also taking requests for ‘em :)

this photo is a good one to start with, as it provides the essential information you need to understand travis konecny as a person. apparently his brother calls him a “city slicker,” but this is him in his true form - in camo, with fishing equipment and associated fish, looking objectively pretty fucking bad. the comment is from his teammate and certified best bud nolan patrick, who we will discuss more later. additionally, his instagram account no longer exists because he is diametrically opposed to having a social media presence, and throws his phone in an ontario lake for 4 months every offseason. presumably.

in addition to all of that, he is pretty fucking good at hockey. and yes, this is the same person as above, this time looking rather nice and representing the philadelphia flyers at this year’s all star game

(via @jakeoettinger) from when he broke his tooth and we all were collectively screaming about it in our own unique ways until he got it fixed. this was right before the asg, and i remember the visceral fear that he might not do anything about it and we’d have to watch him do all the media stuff looking like a battle-scarred little rat. his fucking face, man

here he is, doing his very best impression of a cardboard cutout of himself. if you have any brain cells to spare, please send them philly-ward. this man is in dire need.

this is teeks with aforementioned Best Bud Nolan Patrick. this is a real photo of them at a real wedding (claude giroux’s, not their own), posted on nolan patrick’s real instagram, with the real caption “what a wedding date”. there is nothing else to be said.

although he is a great hockey player, tk has a reputation on the ice mainly for never shutting up. this is one of many instances of teeks running his little rodent mouth at the opposing team, and usually what he says makes little to no sense but we love to hear it anyway. the video of this is so delightful, i’d recommend giving it a watch

hockey talent must be inherent to the genome, as teeks is the second cousin of bo horvat (captain of the vancouver canucks). they are generally pretty different people but they look like two separate pieces of trash from the same dumpster here so… who’s to know?

(via @manybumblebees) travis’ draft report listed him at 5′10, and he has continued to be recorded as such throughout his career. however, as just about anyone with working eyesight will tell you, this is absolute fucking horseshit. oskar lindblom, with whom he is cellying here, is 6′1 for comparison. if that looks like a 3 inch height difference to you, i don’t know what to say

5′10 or not, he is - by his own admission - a pretty small guy, so you think he’d generally try to avoid physical altercations, or mess with people his own size. on the contrary! here he is, having the time of his life messing with 6′3, 215lb mikhail sergachev (tk listed at 175lb). fuck it, ragdoll mode engaged.

i wasn’t kidding about the brain cells - how do you lose your shoes on a plane!!!

(via @gabelandeskog) travis is the flyers’ “hockey is for everyone” ambassador this year, and this is him with pride tape on his stick for YCP warmies, which is like, real nice

can rats swim???

(via @chirpedtooth) another thing of note is that he is like…. too small for nhl equipment apparently?? and so he tapes his sleeves with stupid fucking orange tape to make sure they don’t get in the way of his little raccoon appendages. whatever works, man

look at this fancy little child in his pea coat facing some adverse weather conditions!!! pre-2016 travis konecny is never not funny

(via @callejarnkrok) despite his general shenanigans and tomfoolery, travis is perhaps a nice canadian boy at heart. here he is checking on nolan, who has been sidelined with a migraine disorder this season, at the team’s picture day. the more i think about it, the more this is unbearably fucking tender, actually. going to go lie down in a dark room about it. see y’all in a bit

this is his (nice? horrid? it’s up to you) little duck tattoo on his bicep. just thought this was important to include

this footage plagues my entire fucking existence. i measure my time in Before I First Witnessed This and After I First Witnessed This. it’s the last thing i think about at night and the first thing i think about every morning. and in between times, it frequently appears in my dreams. i cannot accurately verbalise how much i hate this

(via @for-that-cotton-candy) just gently skating up to your pal,, hip-checking your bud to let him know that you’re there because he can only see you when he’s looking down,,,, just letting him know that you’re there and you love him a whole lot,,,,,,,, that’s hockey, baby

some would describe his face as “highly expressive” or “easy to read,” but i personally think “malleable” might be more appropriate. here he is 😛✌🏻ing with teammates travis sanheim and shane gostisbehere

(via @phillymyers) is now a good time to mention that this little untoasted piece of bread didn’t know how to blow a kiss?

mandatory puppy photo!

(via @chirpedtooth) literally no idea what the fuck is going on here, all i know is that he is wearing a pink scrunchie on his wrist, and that it is an awful lot to deal with

and that, my friends, is a brief introduction to travis konecny! i hope you enjoyed this in one way or another, and if you are currently thinking “i don’t get why everyone likes him” - just give it 3 weeks of mild to moderate exposure to tk content. you’ll see.

#travis konecny #philadelphia flyers #konecny #flyers #flyers photo compilations #**#100 #links either go to news articles or videos on youtube or the nhl site #although the one abt the wedding photo goes to patty's ig post #please lmk if there's anything wrong w this bc i am hell for making mistakes in these and not noticing #thank you luna!!!#oh yea the uncredited gif is my own btw

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toews-kane-interesting · 3 years

Note

Alleged sexual abuse of Blackhawks players was reportedly an 'open secret' among staffers

Earlier this month, it was revealed that a video coach for the Chicago Blackhawks allegedly sexually assaulted two players on the team during the 2010 Stanley Cup playoffs, TSN's Rick Westhead reported.

The alleged incidents were reported by two former players to then-skills coach Paul Vincent in May of 2010 during the Western Conference final. Vincent reportedly told senior management, which refused to report the claims to Chicago police. Adding another dark layer to the story is that the abuse was purportedly an "open secret" within the organization.

According to Westhead, a former team marketing official who asked to remain anonymous over fear of repercussions said he was told by a Blackhawks assistant trainer during the 2010 offseason that then-team video coach Brad Aldrich had allegedly sexually assaulted two players.

“Brad would routinely befriend young interns and invite them to his apartment in Chicago to watch March Madness basketball and other sports,” the marketing official said, according to Westhead.

“I was told to steer clear of him because he had tried something at his apartment on a few players. This was not something that only a few people knew about. The entire training staff, a lot of people knew...This was an open secret.”

The allegations against the Blackhawks organization and its former front office started gaining attention last month after a former player filed a lawsuit against the franchise claiming that his allegations of abuse were covered up by the team and that Aldrich threatened him against filing a complaint. Also in the lawsuit were claims that team sports psychologist James Gary allegedly convinced at least one of the players that he was at fault for the sexual assault.

A second Blackhawks player from the 2010 Cup-winning team also later filed a lawsuit, alleging that the Blackhawks covered up the abuse after two players raised the issue with management, and that the organization gave Aldrich a good reference letter when he left the team, which gave him the opportunity to find other victims, which he did.

Aldrich eventually joined a high school hockey team’s coaching staff and was later charged and convicted of sexual misconduct for a crime that occurred in March 2013. The incident, which involved a 17-year-old victim, involved “sexual touching and a brief instance of oral penetration…” Aldrich was sentenced to nine months in prison and five years of probation, and he is now a registered sex offender in Michigan.

A year earlier, according to Westhead, Aldrich resigned as the director of hockey operations at Miami University — an NCAA Division 1 program — in November of 2012, “under suspicion of unwanted touching of a male adult,” the university’s attorney told police, according to TSN.

No one from the Blackhawks organization or anyone allegedly involved in these allegations has commented to this point.

🤮🤮🤮

😭😭😭

this is a fucking club needs to be closed!!!

#chicago blackhawks #nhl

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zashamalkin · 4 years

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Full article below the cut.

Kris Letang never wants to play for another NHL team. He thinks he will, though.

In the days following the Penguins’ loss in the Stanley Cup playoffs qualifying round last month, shortly after sharing with team officials his desire to retire a Penguin, Letang told several teammates he expected to be traded this offseason.

Interviews with more than a dozen team and league sources revealed that Letang, the most accomplished defenseman in Penguins history, is at a crossroads similar to the one teammate Evgeni Malkin found himself at after the 2018-19 season. While Malkin always has brushed off any indication he could be traded, Letang has taken it seriously since first learning of reports and speculation in the 2012-13 season.

He fears it more this offseason than any other.

But neither ownership nor management believes the Penguins will be better without Letang, who has two years remaining on his contract. And the return of Todd Reirden as assistant coach is the first part of the Penguins’ plan for Letang to “be that guy again,” a team source told The Athletic.

“If I’m running things in Pittsburgh, I’m looking at Letang and thinking about what my team would be if he got back to having great years,” one league source said. “And why wouldn’t Jim (Rutherford) or (Mike Sullivan) think that way? Didn’t they have the same thought a year ago about Malkin? And didn’t they figure it out with him?

“Maybe it’s just Letang’s turn for them to take a different approach.”

Still, despite being told by Rutherford that a retooling plan does not include trading him, Letang has told those close to him he expects a trade from the Penguins could happen during the offseason or sometime next season, multiple team sources said.

In recent conversations, Rutherford has asked opposing GMs if they were “interested in Letang,” according to multiple league sources, who cautioned the Penguins’ GM wasn’t trying to trade Letang as much as “feeling out what value Letang would have.”

“Honestly, it doesn’t sound like they know what the market is for Letang,” one league source said. “Jim was fishing. That’s not exactly trying to trade the guy. But the word’s out that Jim wants to know what he could get from one of the teams Letang could go to.”

Letang will count $7.25 million against the salary cap next season. His cap hit is slated to rank 13th all defenseman and he will be one of 15 defensemen in his 30s making at least $7 million in actual salary, as recorded by the Puck Pedia website.

He might not be a bargain, but Letang provides the Penguins with good value when healthy. He is their lone returning defenseman to have ever scored at least 10 goals or 50 points in a season, doing so seven and five times respectively. Also, he is one of only two returning defensemen to have averaged at least 25 minutes in multiple seasons, with Letang hitting that mark in seven of the past eight seasons.

Combine those factors with championship experience, the ability to run a power play and an under-the-radar leadership style, and Rutherford’s decision to even gauge colleague’s interest on Letang caught more than a few in Pittsburgh’ organization by surprise.

“How is it ‘win-now mode’ if you trade our best defenseman?” one team source said. “Trading him just doesn’t make any sense.”

Another team source described Letang as “misunderstood.”

“He cares a lot about our team and what people here think of him,” that team source said. “Tanger’s honest. He’s hard on himself. He’s been through a lot as a person, not just a player. He’s made his family here. This team matters to him. If you know him, Tanger will work harder than anyone to make it work.”

Letang trade rumors started shortly after he signed an eight-year, $58 million dollar contract in 2013. He wanted a full no-trade clause in the contract, but Ray Shero, GM at the time, balked because he had already granted such clauses to Sidney Crosby and Malkin. They settled on a modified no-trade clause that grants Letang some, but not total, control.

Negotiations nearly fell apart before the contract was finalized. Letang wanted the no-trade clause to go into effect immediately, but the collective bargaining agreement prohibited the clause from taking effect until the first year of the new deal (2014-15), which meant Letang would play the 2013-14 season without trade protection.

“Kris was upset because Ray wouldn’t say, ‘I won’t trade you next season’ instead of Ray saying, ‘We’re not giving you this contract so we can trade you,’” a league source said. “It was obvious Kris wasn’t going to be traded. … He just had it in his head that he would be the odd-guy out.”

Shero and Rutherford had treated Letang similarly before this offseason. Other teams could call, but it would take a lot to pry Letang from Pittsburgh.

And even though he took calls last summer and is currently gathering intel on Letang’s value, Rutherford has also confided to associates that he believes the “right thing is for those three players” — Letang, Crosby and Malkin — “to retire as Penguins for-life,” team and league sources said.

Rutherford’s moves in the weeks following the Penguins’ latest early exit from a postseason confirm what team and league sources described a “joint decision by ownership and management” to stick with the win-now approach for the next two seasons.

That means definitely retaining Malkin and likely keeping Letang, who each have two years remaining on their contracts, and adding talent where it makes sense.

The Penguins believe the acquisition of winger Kasperi Kapanen from Toronto makes their top six as good as at any point in the Crosby/Malkin era. And others in the organization believe Reirden’s return will benefit all defensemen, but especially Letang.

“The way I see it, Pittsburgh is doing with Letang what it did to Malkin a year ago — get through to him, get him to change some things and get him back to where they need him to be,” one league source said.

“That’s why Reirden is back. I guarantee that’s what went into Jim’s thinking.”

Malkin and Crosby in recent seasons have proven willing and able to make on- and off-ice adjustments to remain elite players into their mid-30s. However, a few of the franchise’s highest-ranking officials believe Letang has “better to give,” multiple team sources said.

Sullivan, in particular, has grown frustrated with Letang’s occasional resistance to play within the system, according to multiple league sources. Sullivan often would hand off Letang to either Jacques Martin or Sergei Gonchar, two of three assistants whose contracts were not renewed by the Penguins.

“The thing with great players is they want to do so much,” one league source said. “When you get older, doing less does more. But not every player understands that.”

Hiring Reirden as Sullivan’s top assistant should “get Letang’s attention,” a league source said.

One former Penguins player from when Reirden was Dan Bylsma’s assistant said “Todd’s great at making you feel like it’s a conversation, not a one-sided talk — and that’s going to help with whatever the message is to Tanger because he responds best when he feels like he’s part of the discussion.”

Reirden cut his NHL teeth as an assistant on Bylsma’s Penguins staff from 2010-14. His primary responsibilities were coaching defenseman and running the power play, and it was in those roles that Reirden won hard-earned respect from Crosby, Malkin and Letang.

Multiple team sources said there was no indication those three players thought as highly of Mark Recchi, who ran the power play the past three seasons. And though Malkin, Letang and Crosby each hold Gonchar in the highest regard, Letang’s history with Gonchar as a teammate in the late 2000s became seen by top Penguins brass as a hindrance to their player/coach relationship.

“Letang is still their best defenseman,” one league source said. “If he’s lost a step, I didn’t see it. Maybe a half-step? But I didn’t see a guy who looked noticeably different as a skater.”

Rutherford said he waited all of 30 minutes after Reirden’s firing as head coach of the Washington Capitals to give him a call and discuss a return to Pittsburgh. A few minutes into their conversation, Rutherford and Reirden were exchanging thoughts on Letang, team sources said.

“I’ve talked to Tanger about Todd. He loved him,” one former Penguin said. “And if there is a better level from Letang at this point in his career, Todd is the one coach who can probably help him get there.

“If he does, and Sid is healthy and Geno comes back as dedicated as he did last season, that’s going to be bigger for Pittsburgh than anything else Jim does in terms of trades or signings.”

(Top photo: Derek Cain / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

#kris letang #the athletic #rob rossi

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96thdayofrage · 3 years

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Living through Covid-19 while Black and homeless

Not too many people do what Luther Keith does. Keith walks the streets among the homeless, passing out clothes and serving the unhoused with hot meals. This has been an everyday occurrence for Keith for over two decades.

On a weekly basis, Keith donates his time and feeds hundreds, sometimes thousands.

“That was my mission back in 1999, [that’s] to feed the homeless,” said Keith. “I started doing this on Avalon and Imperial Highway back in 1999 when I was at Locke High [School].”

At the time of his calling to help out those on the streets, Keith was a security officer for Locke High School in an area previously known as Watts, which is now encompassed inside of the boundaries of South Los Angeles.

A longtime gang interventionist, Keith has a strong presence on the streets of South Los Angeles. Working as the head of security for the renowned Drew League, a pro-am summer basketball league that has become home in the offseason for many NBA players, and keeping the peace among warring gang factions, Keith is a doer and not a talker when it comes to helping others.

Feeding and clothing the homeless is not for the faint of heart. Driving through downtown Los Angeles one can encounter many things. First, the many skyscrapers silhouettes that outline the Southern California skies make for a breathtaking view.

There are local hotspots and eateries that pop up on just about every block of the downtown area that make it chic or trendy to wine and dine.

STAPLES Center, the place that the Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Clippers call home, is snuggled in the midst of all of this hustle and bustle. Right across the street sits the Microsoft Theater, where live concerts from some of the biggest names in the music and entertainment industries are constantly on display as artists come and pay a visit when they’re in town performing.

Then there is Skid Row which is the direct antithesis to everything that is glamorous and modern in the downtown area of the second-largest city in America.

Though it is located in the downtown area of Los Angeles, a person would have to go through nearly two miles of designated parking lots and clumps of buildings and go past the city’s Los Angeles Fashion District before encountering humanity at its worse.

Skid Row is a proliferation of tents, gangs, hustlers, prostitution, gambling, and drug activity. The streets are blackened by the large amounts of trash and debris that have settled on them. The air space is almost inhalable. Assaults and robberies can happen about as quickly as you snap your fingers.

Navigating through Skid Row and other parts of downtown Los Angeles can be a dangerous place to walk or drive. The Covid-19 pandemic has magnified the danger alert to an even greater level. Keith is not too concerned about it. That’s because as a devout Christian, Keith arms himself with the faith weapons he’s been given on his sleeves.

These are the antidotes to any negativity he may encounter when he’s out and about doing what he’s called to do.

Judge David O. Carter gave the elected officials representing the City Los Angeles and Los Angeles County a sharp rebuke for failing to properly address the homeless crisis. The judge issued a memo ordering those living on Skid Row to be housed by this fall.

“There can be no defense to the indefensible,” Carter wrote in a 110-page ruling in the court case LA Alliance for Human Rights v City of Los Angeles. “For all the declarations of success that we are fed, citizens themselves see the heartbreaking misery of the homeless and the degradation of their City and County. Los Angeles has lost its parks, beaches, schools, sidewalks, and highway systems due to the inaction of City and County officials who have left our homeless citizens with no other place to turn. All of the rhetoric, promises, plans, and budgeting cannot obscure the shameful reality of this crisis—that year after year, there are more homeless Angelenos, and year after year, more homeless Angelenos die on the streets.”

The system of homelessness has become a Black problem with long-rooted institutional checks and balances in place playing a significant role behind the scenes, said Heidi Marston, director of the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority.

“I want to be very clear, homelessness is a byproduct of racism,” Marston said. “We continue to see that Black people are overrepresented in our homeless population and that Black African Americans are four times more likely to become homeless than their white counterparts.”

Being homeless and Black in the middle of the Covid-19 is not just a Los Angeles thing. The numbers are just as staggering nationally. Much like the population-to-homeless ratio in Los Angeles, unhoused statistics for Blacks across the country are alarming.

According to the 2020 Annual Homeless Assessment Report (AHAR) to Congress, a report backed by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, 39 percent of the people who are homeless nationwide are Black. The AHAR report, released this past January, also concluded that Blacks with families and children (53 percent) are in far greater numbers to be homeless than any other ethnic group surveyed.

According to a 2020 U.S. Census study, Blacks are just 12 percent of the general population in the country, a sobering reality to the vast homelessness numbers this group represents. There are several contributing factors as to why many Black people can be found on the streets or are unsheltered, according to the National Alliance to End Homelessness.

The main causes, poverty, rental and housing discrimination, lack of access to quality health care and incarceration, are nothing new. When it comes to re-entering back into society after being incarcerated, Black women are more likely than anyone else to be homeless, according to the Prison Policy Initiative. That’s including Black men.

A New Way of Life Reentry Project, founded by Susan Burton, does its best to address the needs of these women once they leave jail or prison.

“A New Way of Life and similar programs offer people released from jails and prisons an opportunity to live in a safe, welcoming, structured, and supportive environment where both staff and other residents understand the challenges that convicted and formerly incarcerated people face, and are able to offer a clear path forward,” said Pamela Marshall, co-director of A New Way of Life Reentry Project.

“Having stable, safe and affordable housing improves an individuals’ abilities to reduce stress; to heal from trauma or addiction; to manage a health or mental health condition; to find and maintain employment; to protect, uplift and support children and other family members; to attend school and/or job training programs; to avoid violence and system contact,” Marshall added.

Based in South Los Angeles, A New Way of Life Reentry Project has 10 homes to accommodate women coming from jail or prison. Marshall said once these individuals put incarceration in the rearview mirror, trying to live and function in normalcy, can be overwhelming.

“Imagine living in a jail or prison cell where your every movement, every minute, every meal and every decision has been made for you and you are suddenly released with $200 or less, without a state ID, social security card, medical or birth documents, into a world where the technology, bus routes, culture, and communities have advanced far into the future leaving you without direction or understanding and you have also lost all contact with family, friends or a place to stay,” Marshall said.

While A New Way of Life Reentry Project has a more structural way of helping those once locked up to stay off the streets, Keith keeps things pushing with his charitable outreach, bringing encouragement and food to fill the bellies and minds of the homeless. And he does it without fear.

“If you ain’t equipped and know how to do this…they got gangs down there,” Keith said. “Folks are scared to go down there.”

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insidethegiftbasket · 3 years

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Opening Series: Blue Jays at Yankees

Game One – Thursday, April 1st, at 1pm (YES and ESPN): Hyun Jin Ryu vs Gerrit Cole

Game Two – Saturday, April 3rd, at 1pm (YES and MLB Network): ??? vs Corey Kluber

Game Three – Sunday, April 4th, at 1pm (YES): ??? vs Domingo German

Blue Jays Injury Report

CL Kirby Yates: Brought in to be their closer this season and was one of their big offseason acquisitions, out for the season with Tommy John Surgery

SP Robbie Ray: Likely the #2 starter for Toronto, is missing at least his first start of the season with an elbow injury

SP Nate Pearson: Toronto’s best prospect and the most talented pitcher on their team, out with a groin injury indefinitely

CF George Springer: Oblique injury, is considered day to day but unlikely to start the season

RHP Rafael Dollis: Back spasms, may miss opening day

Blue Jays Pitching

So we know that Ryu will start Opening Day, and he’s been a really good pitcher the last few years:

He has elite control and when he gives up contact, it’s typically not that loud:

That said, when he faces good teams, he's consistently worse, and when he faces the Yankees he is no where near a Cy Young contender:

Ryu overall however is a good pitcher—he gets the job done in the regular season, and would be an excellent number two pitcher on most teams. That said, he’s expected to essentially carry this pitching staff because my god this staff is garbage.

On the left are the non-Ryu starter options—they should have Simeon Woods Richardson up later this summer, but while he’s a highly touted prospect, he’s also just a prospect. On the right is their bullpen. Essentially the plan is “hopefully Pearson can stay healthy for more than two weeks and SWR can pitch well later this year to make up for the pure trash that we put on the mound.”

The Yankees have a lot of question marks in their rotation, but at least we know that if the players stay healthy, they’re good, and we have a deep bullpen as well. Toronto has a lot of question marks in their rotation, but for them it’s more of a “hopefully they can be league average” and they might have the worst bullpen from a contender since the Detroit Tigers.

Blue Jays Lineup

As awful as the pitching is for the Blue Jays, their lineup is just ridiculously talented and loaded. Here’s a projected lineup for Opening Day if Springer is healthy (2020 OPS+ in parentheses):

1. CF George Springer (140)

2. 3b Cavan Biggio (123)

3. SS Bo Bichette (128)

4. RF Teoscar Hernandez (148)

5. 1b Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (116)

6. LF Lourdes Gurriel Jr. (139)

7. 2b Marcus Semien (92)

8. DH Rowdy Tellez (140)

9. C Alejandro Kirk (168)

Lineup up and down the roster is just stacked, and they would still have Randal Grichuk off the bench. The player on the team I’d fear the most as the Yankees however is Bo Bichette:

In his two seasons (which still hasn’t added up to a full season) he’s been an absolute monster as a 23 year old shortstop. If you looked at his career and said “this is what he’d do in 162 games” he’d drop 58 doubles and 35 homers on you, which is just disgusting.

He never walks, but those are some insane xBA and xSLG numbers, and he consistently hits the ball and hits it hard. He uses the entire ballpark as well:

To me he’s a clear future MVP candidate, but as a Yankee fan by biggest fear is he goes from being the best doubles hitter in the league to turning those doubles into putting up 40+ homer seasons.

Yankees Focus On: Giancarlo Stanton

Here are Giancarlo’s three Opening Days in a Yankees uniform so far:

2018 at Toronto: 3-5, 2 HR, 1 2b, 4 Rbi, 1 K

2019 vs Baltimore: 1-3, 2 BB, 1 K

2020 at Washington: 2-3, 1 HR, 2 Rbi, 1 K

youtube

Here are Stanton’s career numbers (highlighted) vs Ryu:

Here are Stanton’s career numbers vs the Blue Jays:

Here are Stanton’s spring training stats:

If I had to pick one guy who’s likely to put up some numbers this weekend, it’s Giancarlo. He’s absolutely locked in right now and he’s always performed well to start the season, I wouldn’t be surprised if he leaves the weekend with multiple homers.

#Yankees #New York Yankees #Toronto Blue Jays #Bo Bichette #Giancarlo Stanton #Hyun-Jun Ryu #Baseball #MLB #Series Preview

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dboyer-blog · 5 years

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How To Survive The Seasons As A Sports Widow

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lluisco1g · 2 years

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tkmedia · 3 years

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2021 Stock Watch — RB Anthony McFarland — Stock Up

Now that training camp has begun, following yet another year of disappointment, a fourth consecutive season with no postseason victories, it’s time to take stock of where the Pittsburgh Steelers stand. Specifically where Steelers players stand individually based on what we are seeing over the course of the offseason as it plays out. We will also be reviewing players based on their previous season and their prospects for the future. A stock evaluation can take a couple of different approaches and I’ll try to make clear my reasonings. In some cases it will be based on more long-term trends. In other instances it will be a direct response to something that just happened. So we can see a player more than once over the course of the season as we move forward. Player: RB Anthony McFarland Stock Value: Up Reasoning: Running back Anthony McFarland appears to be primed for having a bigger and more effective role as he heads into his second season. As an inexperienced underclassman coming out of school and into the NFL during a pandemic that stripped teams of much of their offseason, and the preseason in its entirety, it isn’t entirely surprising that Anthony McFarland didn’t tear things up in 2020. That doesn’t mean that he is going to do it this year, either, but at least he should have a bigger role, and perhaps will be more effective executing it. Last week, he told reporters that he realizes he was trying to do too much with every touch he got, fearing that he won’t get many more. He also told reporters that he added a bit of muscle this offseason while retaining his speed, the defining trait that made him a fourth-round draft pick in spite of the fact that he only had about a season and a half of college experience in a platooned backfield. The secret ingredient herein is the fact that Matt Canada is now the Steelers’ offensive coordinator, and he was McFarland’s offensive coordinator (and interim head coach) in 2018 during his breakout season with the Maryland Terrapins. First and foremost, Canada showed then that he knows how to utilize McFarland in ways that allow him to be successful. Second, he is also a more creative offensive play-caller than his predecessor, Randy Fichter, from which a player like the second-year back can benefit. We are seeing signs of this already during training camp, which has included some usage of two-back sets and motions off to the perimeter, basically aspects of plays that accentuate his speed. We will also see him split out as a receiver. Of course, Najee Harris is going to get the vast majority of the work at running back. But if he actually performs well, it wouldn’t be an upset if McFarland receives the most touches behind Harris at the position by the time the season is over.

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freenewstoday · 3 years

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New Post has been published on https://freenews.today/2021/03/06/bengals-cut-ex-steelers-seahawks-guard-finney/

Bengals cut ex-Steelers, Seahawks guard Finney

The Cincinnati Bengals on Friday released guard B.J. Finney, ending a year of confusion, fear and physical limitations for the former $8 million player.

Finney struggled to properly train last offseason in fear of losing a $2 million signing bonus from the Seattle Seahawks due to COVID-19 restrictions on physicals, sources told ESPN. Finney signed a two-year, $8 million deal with Seattle last March but never played an offensive down for the team, showing up to camp out of shape.

Seattle shipped him to Cincinnati as part of the Carlos Dunlap deal in October, and he didn’t play there either. The core issue: With teams unable to oversee physicals last offseason due to the coronavirus outbreak, they placed clauses in contracts that failed physicals would result in forfeited signing bonus money.

Finney couldn’t take his physical until training camp — Seattle’s building temporarily shut down and the team did not permit third-party physicals, which some but not all NFL teams did. So Finney scaled back his workouts to avoid getting hurt and showed up to camp above his normal playing weight of 315 pounds.

The absence of Organized Team Activities and minicamp in June didn’t help the former undrafted free agent who relies on smarts and anticipation above raw athleticism. He eventually got beat out by Ethan Pocic at center in Seattle.

Another free agent signed by Seattle last year confirmed the contractual issue with the physicals was a hurdle.

“It put a player like him in a bad situation — he literally couldn’t work out to get in shape, and he was in a funk all year because of it,” a source close to Finney with direct knowledge of the situation told ESPN. “This is the one time you can set yourself up for life, and if you tweak your back or do anything, you’re in jeopardy of losing your contract.”

Finney ended up making $3.03 million from Seattle — where he played 29 special teams snaps, none on offense — and $1.47 million from Cincinnati.

Finney, 29, spent the first four seasons of his career with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

ESPN’s Brady Henderson contributed to this report.

Source

#B.J. Finney #Cincinnati Bengals #news #NFL #Seattle Seahawks

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auburnfamilynews · 4 years

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John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

Trying to make sense of the last 24 hours.

If you stayed up on a Sunday night, you probably saw the beginnings of what may end up becoming the death rattle for college football as we know it.

When word started leaking out over the weekend that the Power Five conferences were all going to shutter the sport for the fall season, everything exploded. No real information got out. Rumor. Deceit. Everywhere. After the MAC canceled its season on Friday, we heard that P5 athletic directors, presidents, and chancellors had gotten together and were going to up and cancel the season for the rest of the country as well.

Yesterday morning, that gained momentum, with some saying that the Big Ten and PAC-12 would be canceling as early as Tuesday. Spoiler alert: it happened today for the Midwesterners.

View post on imgur.com

What might have been a meek exit into a blurry and continuing offseason turned upside down last night when Trevor Lawrence, maybe the nation’s most notable player and surefire top pick in the next NFL Draft, took to Twitter.

People are at just as much, if not more risk, if we don’t play. Players will all be sent home to their own communities where social distancing is highly unlikely and medical care and expenses will be placed on the families if they were to contract covid19 (1)

— Trevor Lawrence (@Trevorlawrencee) August 9, 2020

After his reasoning on why he’d like to play college football this year, we got this at midnight Eastern time.

#WeWantToPlay pic.twitter.com/jvQhE7noGB

— Trevor Lawrence (@Trevorlawrencee) August 10, 2020

It began as the nation’s most valuable player expressing his personal thoughts, but before the clock turned to Monday, it had become a full-blown grassroots players union. The hashtag #WeWantToPlay scattered across Twitter from notable players like Justin Fields and Chuba Hubbard, not to mention many others in leagues threatening to cancel.

The reasons for wanting to play aren’t dumb. They’re not dangerous. Many schools touting the danger of playing college football are sending students back for in-person learning. It’s no more of a risk to play football than it is to sit in a classroom or live in a dorm. The athletes would be in better hands than your average students, too. Testing multiple times a week, days before games, and having less time to get out into the world where you could contract the virus.

That’s not to say that the players should be forced to step onto the field. Auburn’s already had two holdouts for the 2020 season (if it happens) in Chandler Wooten and Traivon Leonard. I don’t fault either one. Wooten’s got a child on the way, and Leonard had the virus already. In this totally oddball situation, administrators are finally having to give way to what the players want.

You notice that nobody talked about canceling football ahead of players reporting for summer camps and workouts. You notice that the first time an athlete came back to the team and tested positive for the virus, administrators didn’t quake with fear and call for a blanket ban on the sport this year. It was only when whispers of player unity came about that things got serious. Let’s not make the mistake of believing that player safety is the number one issue at stake here. We’re moving closer and closer to a non-amateur sport, where players have more power than ever. The NIL legislation that’s been passed in many states recently speaks to that. Top-flight players would be able to make millions in college by selling their name, or endorsing a product (what I would have given to see Kerryon Johnson endorse the Magnolia Street Chick Fila), and their profitability won’t just be owned by the school anymore.

The repercussions of that avenue haven’t really been discussed much in a public forum yet, but eventually players would be made employees. They’d be able to be fired for underperformance. You know how a kicker in the NFL loses his job for missing a couple field goals in a game? Get ready for Alabama to have a revolving door of new guys coming in to try and reverse the goalpost voodoo that Nick Saban’s enacted.

Still, it would be right for the players to be able to do these things. Every other student can profit off of their image while in school. Why can’t athletes?

That’s a bit of a ramble on the road we’re going down based on last night, but let’s get back to fact. The Big Ten has canceled football for the fall. It was a 12-2 vote with Nebraska and Iowa standing as dissenting opinions. No word yet from the PAC-12, but the Big 12, ACC, and SEC are all still wanting to play. You can bet that the SEC will be the absolute last one to cancel, and honestly, they don’t have to lean on anything that the other conferences are doing in the slightest. When the rest of the leagues postpone, the SEC’s product becomes more valuable. You’ve already got players on campus. You’ve already got support from the players to play. It’s not wild to think that the old Jefferson Pilot game of the week between Kentucky and Vanderbilt at 11 AM draws millions of viewers in this situation.

Imagine what happens when LSU and Alabama play, or when the Iron Bowl rolls around. On network television? It’s the highest watched football game of all time.

But what if the SEC follows suit?

Well, we have absolutely no way of knowing the particulars in a deal like this, but here are possible repercussions for Auburn:

Assuming they just call the season a wash and pick up in 2021 instead of just delaying it, would we somehow skip going to Tuscaloosa and Athens?

Georgia’s going to have a generational defense and a ton of young talent on offense, and we just can’t make it happen in Athens. Alabama’s looking for revenge after last year, and while they lost a bunch as well, they’ll just reload. Not looking forward to heading there either. If the season got canned, both of those teams would have so many guys bolt for the NFL Draft and neither school would see a single bit of return off of them. Auburn’s not going to have the same problem at the same level.

When we return to the field in 2021, Gus Malzahn may (with some unknowns hanging in the balance) have his favorable odd-year schedule and a sophomore but really junior quarterback in Bo Nix, as well as an offensive line that’s practiced together for more than a year. If, somehow, we get no early departures to the league, then we’re a title contender off the top.

Looking at the hardwood, Bruce Pearl would have an absolutely loaded 2021-2022 roster. My goodness. Imagine the last couple of signing classes with no wear and tear. This season, Alabama might actually have a good team with the return of some of their dudes. Not having to deal with that isn’t the worst thing in the world.

HOWEVER, if they play football in the SEC, it’s going to be the most-watched season of all time. I don’t believe the SEC schools have said much in the way of number of fans allowed in the stadiums, but to be safe they may go crowd-less. You’ll have 20 million viewers for the CBS game of the week every Saturday, and it would approach national championship numbers for the big ones. Auburn-Georgia, Iron Bowl, Auburn-LSU, Cocktail Party, Alabama-LSU, Alabama-Georgia. The thing is, it wouldn’t matter. If nobody else is playing football, then we’re going to just get ten games with as many asterisks as the record books will hold. There won’t be a national champion, there won’t be a trophy at the end, it’s just going to be football. It’s gravy, house money.

This whole operation has the potential to be the dumbest endeavor ever, but doing dumb stuff is what makes college football great.

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from College and Magnolia - All Posts https://www.collegeandmagnolia.com/2020/8/10/21362108/our-pets-heads-are-falling-off

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beersfromthebleachers · 4 years

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The Good, The Bad and the Ugly: Harsh Truths of the 2020 Baseball Season

Well, we finally have baseball...for now.

It was hard to think, write, or even speak of baseball on the major league level this season. The sudden end of Spring Training after the critical rise of an international pandemic sent the status of America's Past Time and every major sport of competition in a state of suspense. The events that followed enforced the importance of health and safety for the players, coaches, and the key personnel that make baseball great, which is the number one priority before anything else could continue. Unfortunately before anything can be discussed about the regular season carrying on, the status of any season actually taking place was almost considered to be nonexistent and doomed with its long-term future dangling by a thread. Alas, the start of the next baseball season await the baseball fans with Opening Day commencing over the weekend; but the outcome of the season finally arriving did come with blood, sweat and tear…and not in a positive result that would leave the current state of baseball in crisis mode.

The offseason was first set in a dark tone after the result of the Houston Astros sign stealing scandal during their 2017 Championship run up to the recent end of the 2019 season. The team's recent success has been placed into question with their statistics in their home stadium at Minute Maid Park versus how they played on the road. The Astros were put into the spotlight by using technology with cameras to steal the sign from the visiting team's catcher and signaling the same team's pitcher for the Astros to take advantage when they went to bat. Noted that sign stealing is a part of the game, but the use of technology to enhance the ability to do so has been considered cheating by MLB as a whole. As a result for the scandal being investigated by Commissioner Rob Manfred, the Astros were fined $5 million, stripped of their 2020 and 2021 first and second round draft picks, and had manager A. J. Hinch and general manager Jeff Luhnow suspended for the 2020 season. Following the result of the suspension of Hinch and Luhnow, the Astros proceeded to terminate the pair from the organization. The Astros were not stripped of their World Series title from the 2017 season, which has faced major criticism from MLB owners and fans despite the franchise winning their first title. Fans and fellow colleagues of the league were left dumbfounded that not a single player on the Astros' roster did not face any form of punishment. Reigning National League MVP Cody Bellinger mentioned that Jose Altuve robbed New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge of winning the American League MVP for the 2017 season is just one of the examples.

AJ Hinch, Alex Cora, and Carlos Beltran were all terminated for their participation in the 2017 Houston Astros sign stealing scandal

The ripple effect of the sign stealing scandal reached to other teams that were involved with the Astros in the past. The former bench coach of the Astros during the championship run, Alex Cora, was hired to become manager of the Boston Red Sox delivered a World Series championship to the organization the following season. The sign stealing scandal was easily transitioned to the Red Sox and as a result Cora was terminated by the organization, including suspension by the MLB until the end of 2020 season. The New York Mets recently hired Carlos Beltran to manage the team, but was he also terminated before even managing a game as a result of being an influencer of the sign stealing scandal when playing for the Astros in 2017. Even players who played with the championship team in 2017 who longer play there, like Dallas Kuechel and Marwin Gonzalez have come forward to apologize on the behalf of tarnishing the integrity of the game. The player that faced the most controversy Mike Fiers, who was considered the whistle blower of the scandal when trying to bring attention of the allegations in 2019. Fiers faced mixed criticism from the media fueled by former players, fans, and reporters that his approach with bringing up the scandal with the MLB should have been more private. The spotlight in the media of the Astros sign stealing scandal brought more attention to baseball since the substance abuse investigation by Congress since 2003. Sadly, this was not the only series of unfortunate events that were taking place for baseball while it was not in play.

Second, the suspension of the MLB season due to the widespread pandemic of COVID-19 brought the controversial start of the 2020 baseball season. The controversy lingered with the ongoing battle between the MLB owners and the MLBPA about compensation for time of play lost. There was an agreement made for players to receive pro-rated salaries, would receive full service time, and the MLB draft was shortened from forty to five rounds. As the delay continued for when the start of the season was going to begin, the owners feared that profits would not be the same due to the fact that attendance would be suspended for the 2020 season. This led the owners to propose to the players to play less games and their pro-rated salary reduced; which did not sit well with the players. This led to a back and forth battle between the players union and the owners on how many games they would play and how much the players would make. With the looming speculation that the season was in jeopardy when neither party could come to an agreement, it was setting a tone on how the emotions between the players and owners were getting to the best of them. As a result of a failed compromise between the two parties, Commissioner Manfred enforced a shortened season of sixty games to take place with players to make a good majority of their salaries. The outcome of the decision is in "dire straits," with the players and owners finding a reasonable agreement to play baseball. In addition to the result of a shortened season, rosters were expanded 60-men roster throughout the entirety of the season versus starting the season with 40-players. This is a result of the minor league's baseball season being cancelled due to issues of the pandemic; and as a result of the majority of teams not wanting their top prospects losing playing time, but manipulating their service time when they are still under service time control. This is not the end of the rule changes that baseball is enduring, for the new wave of rules for the 2020 season is only the beginning.

The Washington Nationals had their ceremonial Opening Day first pitch thrown by Dr. Anthony Fauci, fan of the Nats and medical professional updating Americans about COVID-19.

The rule changes that Commissioner Manfred has been looking forward to altering the new age of baseball was to experiment on how they would look on the major league level, and what better time to do so then a shortened-regular season? One of the major rule changes of the new season includes the introduction of the designated hitter to the National League. A tradition that comes to an end, as the pitcher will no longer have an at bat during games giving the advantage to National League teams. Even when National League teams visited American League teams during interleague play, visiting teams had a better offensive stat boost with having the designated hitter in their lineup; it is most likely this will be a permanent rule change after the trial run. Extra-inning games will now start with a runner on second base at the top of the tenth inning. This was a rule that was in trial in the minor leagues that was actually receiving positive feedback, making the longevity of the game end faster and help teams not to run through their bullpens. Hours before the first games of the season started on Thursday, the 23rd, the players and league agreed to expand playoffs to a 16-team format, with eight-teams to compete in each league for their championship pennant. The way on how teams will qualify for the playoffs will include the division winner, the second place team of each division, and will also include the two teams with the best records that follow those qualifications respectively. The seeding on how teams play each other will reflect team's records, but the opening series of the playoffs will begin with a three-game series. These rule changes will be hard to adapt to, but they will supplement for featured games that were cancelled in the 2020 season.

Lastly, a great deal of events that are important during the regular baseball season were cancelled due to the shortened schedule and the stranglehold the pandemic has placed on travel for MLB teams. Important benchmark games, like the All-Star week including the Home Run Derby and the All-Star Game that were to take place in Los Angeles at Dodger Stadium were cancelled. Important features of these events normally sets the tone of what players will be winning awards at the end of the season, not to mention the boosting of opportunity for players to add something to their resume if they were negotiating a contract with a current or new team in free agency. International games that were promoting series in Latin countries were also cancelled to fall in order of traveling restrictions due to the international pandemic. Games were scheduled to be played in Mexico and Puerto Rico, possible locations that have been hinted at to be expansion cities for the MLB to grow in new locations. This also led to the cancellation of the London Series that was going to carry out for the second year in a row. The benefit of this series was to bring ambassadorship to the MLB in countries that do not recognize baseball as a national sport. Games like this were to promote more countries to get interested in baseball and start bringing the international interest back in major competition, like the World Baseball Classic; which were also delayed in their qualification games for the tournament to carry out in the 2021 season, but will be delayed a full year. The international recognition of baseball was also depended on other nations, with the Olympic Summer games being celebrated in Tokyo, Japan. With baseball being a national sport in Japan, the return of the sport was highly anticipated since its hiatus after three Olympics. The delay and cancellation of these events are not permanent, but in a time frame where baseball is desperate for an audience, it was more than necessary for these events to take place. Hopefully, they do end up being rescheduled in the short term future of the 2021 and 2022 seasons.

Bartolo Colón taking an at-bat for the New York Mets when he played for the team. The introduction of the designated hitter coming to the National League means the end of pitchers having to bat in the line-up.

The 2020 shortened baseball season will set the tone for what will follow for the future status of MLB. The COVID-19 international outbreak was the tip of the iceberg of what problems the league is facing in order to resolve them in the immediate future. The status of preserving baseball on the professional level is in the hands of the players and owners together in order for the historical sport to rebuild dominance in American sports. In addition to being an American sport giant, the MLB must exceed expectations by restoring the international presence that they just seized before losing the interest in other countries that do not have baseball at the professional level. The international and multicultural influence in baseball is what is going to bring new fans to celebrate the MLB, and that starts with supporting the human values that matter; including voicing their opinion of putting a stop to racism. This sixty game season will barely keep the satisfaction of current and new fans of baseball at bay during these rough times the world is experiencing. There is a long and winding road ahead for the MLB when this is all over, and hopefully they can do the right thing when it starts over the offseason.

#journal #baseball #opening day #2020 #mlb #houston astros #cheating #scandal #covid #covid19 #coronavirus #rule changes #designated hitter #london series #WBC #all star game #Home Run Derby #shortened season #60 game sprint

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trecundiff · 4 years

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5 Takeaways/Surprises From NFL Free Agency

With the draft only a few days away I thought it’d be the perfect time to discuss some of things that stood out to me most from the NFL Free Agency period.What moves stood out to me the most and what’s surprised me so far. This is a long one so let’s get right into it.

5) Stefon Diggs to the Bills

As a Vikings fan this one is somewhat near and dear to me. Diggs has been one of my favorite players on the team since he was drafted in the 5th round of the 2015 draft by the Vikings. I somewhat followed his career at Maryland during my younger years so when he came to the Vikings I was excited. It’s sad to see him go but it’s something I’ve been preparing myself for. I never felt he was completely happy in Minnesota, especially after the incident early last season when he missed a practice and was sending his cryptic tweets. He has a new home in Buffalo with the Bills after they sent a 2020 1st, 5th, 6th and a 2021 4th round pick to the Vikings for Diggs and a 2021 7th rounder. As much as I’ll miss seeing Diggs in the purple and gold, I’m pleased with the value the Vikings got for him and excited to see what they’ll do with the picks in the upcoming draft.

The grass may not be greener for Diggs who is coming off season with a career high in yards with Kirk Cousin. Now to be catching passes from Josh Allen, who is average at best, may show him what he’s leaving behind in Minnesota may have been the perfect situation for him. It’ll be interesting to see what he can do in the 2020 season, if there is a 2020 season.

4) Cam Newton and Jameis Winston are still jobless

The fact that these two guys are still without jobs is astounding to me. We can start with Jameis. The former #1 overall pick has had a pretty up and down career thus far. It would land him in a tier with the average, maybe a little above average, quarterbacks in the league. However, he did show glimpses of greatness last season, posting career highs in: yards ending the season with a league leading 5,109, yards per game averaging 319.3, and touchdowns with 33. But to go along with all that he added 30 interceptions, making him the first QB in NFL history to throw 30+ touchdowns and 30+ interceptions in the same season. Turnovers have been his achilles heel his whole career due to the unnecessary risks he sometimes takes with the football. With that being said, if I were a GM though I’d take a chance on him. Even if you don’t view him as your starter there’s no reason why a guy with his arm talent should be without a job when he’s shown he can make plays and win games while guys like Mitch Trubisky continue to skate by. There are a couple teams I’d say could use him somewhere on the roster. Whether it’s a team like Miami, who doesn’t have a QB at all. Or I could see him as a backup in a few places, for example Pittsburgh backing up Big Ben Rothlesburger whose career is winding down or on a team like the Jets or Browns to put some pressure on their early round draft choices who haven’t produced much of anything. Or maybe he should go to the Colts (hint hint).

Cam Newton is a different story. There should no questions on if the 2011 #1 overall pick and 2015 MVP can still start in the NFL. The only question is will he be able to stay healthy. His last 2 seasons have ended prematurely due shoulder and foot surgery, which is unfortunate because he’s easily one of the most exciting players to watch in the league when healthy. In 2018, before his shoulder problems began, he was in the MVP conversation, if not the front runner. He’s had so much time off now I believe he’s finally 100% healthy and ready to get back to MVP form but what team will he play for is the question. This would never happen but I’d love for him to be able to go home and play for the Atlanta Falcons, with Julio Jones, Calvin Ridley and new signee Todd Gurley. This would give Cam the offensive weapons around him that he’s lacked his whole career and make the Falcons truly dangerous. Way more dangerous than they are now with Matt Ryan, who I’ve been saying is overrated for a while now. But that’s a conversation for another day. But since that won’t happen I look at teams like the Chargers and, you may have guessed it, the Colts, as possible destinations.

I hope we see both of these guys suit up to play in 2020, it’d truly be a shame if we didn’t. Especially with players like the next guy on the list getting picked up.

https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2019/passing.htm

3) Philip Rivers to the Colts

I easily could have thrown this in the last section but I needed to give this one it’s own category. I feel like this one may not have made too many people’s list but this one really angered me when I saw it. I have respect for Philip Rivers, I love the way he plays the game, the attitude and intensity he brings to every game is truly admirable. But why do people think he’s so great? Especially now in 2020. As far back as I can remember Rivers has been in the league and that whole time he’s been praised while never winning anything. Over the course of his 16 year career he’s only led the league in passing once (2010), has never won MVP, never won the super bowl, he’s never even been to the super bowl and he’s only been to the playoffs 6 times with a 5-6 record. When I look at Rivers’ career as a whole he’s been average at best. I view him in the same light as Matt Ryan. Their teams seem to always have the talent to compete, are picked to be there at the end and almost always underperform. So for me to see 38 year old Philip Rivers signed by the Colts while 26 yr old Jameis Winston and 31 yr old Cam Newton are still free agents is sickening. Jameis, with 30 interceptions, still had a better season than Rivers in 2019, who finished 5-11 with 4615 yds, 23 tds and 20 ints. He was on the LA Chargers, who were a hot super bowl pick coming into last season, and finished last in their division. Cam Newton has taken his teams to playoffs nearly the same amount of times as Philip Rivers while being in the league nearly half the amount of time. I can’t seem to find the rationale behind the Colts signing him and I fear there may be an underlying reason that I’d hate to blame. Years ago you possibly could have justified their reasoning but in my eyes Rivers’ career is all but done. If he couldn’t get it done in LA with the weapons he had there I highly doubt he’ll be able to do anything with the few weapons he’ll have in Indianapolis. I guess we’ll have to wait and see what will happen for these 3 players in the upcoming season. Maybe Rivers can justify why he was signed over Jameis and Cam.

2) Brady and Gronk to the Bucs

Of course this had to be on the list and it moved up higher once Gronk decided to join Brady. Although I’m not a huge fan of the man, Tom Brady’s move from New England to play in Tampa Bay for the Buccaneers is one of the most interesting moves of the NFL offseason. On one hand I was completely shocked by the move. One because Tom Brady is synonymous with the Patriots organization, having been quarterback there nearly as long as I’ve been alive (he was drafted 2000, I was born 1999). He won 6 Super Bowls with the Patriots and the team always seemed to be in contention in his time there. I’m also stunned because of the destination he chose, nearly no one predicted he’d land in Tampa Bay until closer to the day his decision was announced. I kept hearing he’d be out in LA with the Chargers but he had other plans.

On the other hand there is also part of me that wasn’t too surprised by his decision to ultimately leave the Patriots. There was almost a feeling of inevitability to it when reports started to come in about him leaving New England. He’d been there, linked with Bill Belichick forever and I feel like they both want the opportunity to prove they can win without the other. In my eyes Belichick is more important to Brady than Brady is to Belichick. I’ve always felt like Belichick’s genius is the cause for Brady’s greatness. But we’ll just have to see how this season plays out because the Bucs have a squad.

Whether they kept Jameis or did bring in Brady, the Bucs offense has firepower with two Pro Bowl receivers, Mike Evans and Chris Godwin. Now adding Gronk and it’s a pretty scary sight. I know Gronk only came back because of Brady but they have OJ Howard on roster as well, who’s a solid target at TE. It’ll be interesting to see what Gronk looks like after a year away from the game, will he be rusty or will he be rejuvenated? Only time will tell.

1) DeAndre Hopkins Trade/Bill O’Brien is completely clueless

This easily took the top spot for Free Agency 20202. The Houston Texans traded, arguably the best wide receiver in the league, DeAndre Hopkins and a 4th rd pick to the Arizona Cardinals for a 2nd rd pick, David Johnson and a 2021 4th rd pick. After reading what the Vikings were able to get for Stefon Diggs above you should see why this didn’t make much sense. Diggs is good but his production in his career doesn’t come close to what Hopkins has been able to do, there’s no reason the Texans didn’t get a 1st round pick for him. I’ve read many reports as to the reasoning why they decided to part ways and it seems to fall squarely on Bill O’Brien, who is not just the head coach but also the GM for whatever reason. The Texans have given him Belichick level power without him doing anything to earn it. He has a career win percentage of .529 as a head coach in the NFL, which is about average for current head coaches, but he’s never made it out of the 2nd round of the playoffs. Over the course of the past several years I have watched the Texans underperform time and time again. And I have to say that I believe Bill O’Brien is to blame. I have watched this man make so many nonsensical decisions between play calling and clock management. His situational awareness is terrible. Yet they gave this man the power to make allll the franchises decisions for the most part. The Texans do not have a first round pick in the 2020 or 2021 drafts after trading them to Miami for Laremy Tunsil and Kenny Stills last season. Which was way too much to give up if you ask me. Especially since they lost Jadeveon Clowney in the same deal and Laremy Tunsil may not even resign with them. They also traded for two running backs last season who played well so to add David Johnson, who had a horrible season last year, instead of sticking with what they had didn’t make much sense to me. David Johnson was coming off injury last year so I’ll cut him some slack. But Carlos Hyde played well last year and would have most likely been a cheaper alternative in the long run. Bill O’Brien should have jumped at that idea since cap space seems to be something concerning him and a contributing reason to why he says he traded D Hop.

But O’Brien was on a roll this off-season because not too long after trading Hopkins he signed Randall Cobb (predominantly a slot receiver) to a 3 yr, $27 million contract, with $18.75 guaranteed. That is waaaayyy too much money for Randall Cobb and he’s not going to come close to replacing what Hopkins gave them. They would have been better off just giving Hopkins more money, his connection with QB Deshaun Watson is special. Then O’Brien proceeded to send one of the team’s two 2nd rd picks to the Rams for Brandin Cooks. Which wasn’t a terrible move, but remember they don’t have a 1st rd pick this year. The two 2nd rd picks should have been used to help that struggling offensive line and defense in my eyes. But it had to be Bill O’Brien’s way as he continues to leave a sour taste in the mouths of Texan fans. I wouldn’t be surprised if Deshaun Watson didn’t resign when his contract is up.

I’m upset for Deshaun but I’m excited to see what D Hop will do in Arizona teaming up with last year’s offensive rookie of the year, Kyler Murray, breakout star from last season RB Kenyan Drake, Larry Fitzgerald (or Larry Legend as I like to call him) and Christian Kirk, this offense is going to be scary.

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2870915-report-randall-cobb-texans-agree-to-3-year-27m-contract-after-hopkins-trade

https://www.footballdb.com/coaches/index.html

#NFL NFLFreeAgency

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junker-town · 5 years

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5 NFL teams with the most to panic about right now

Odell Beckham Jr. has played through injury in a disappointing season in Cleveland.

In this week’s panic index, the Rams are back (and it’s too late), the injuries are getting worse for the 49ers, and the Saints threw away their best shot at a top seed.

Trading for Odell Beckham was an achievement for the Browns. After a decade-plus of languishing at the bottom of the AFC North — and the NFL in general — the All-Pro wide receiver was supposed to link up with an ascending Baker Mayfield to make Cleveland a division champion for the first time since 1989.

Instead, Mayfield has thrown more interceptions (16) than touchdowns (15), Beckham has fewer catches than 32 other players in the league, and the Browns are 6-7 and just barely clinging to the hope of an unlikely wild card bid.

Beckham is playing through a sports hernia that first perked up back in training camp, and Mayfield has concerns about how his own franchise has handled the injury.

“I’d say that it wasn’t handled right. He’s not able to run as well as he as should be able to, as well as he knows. And that’s frustrating for him. You can sense some of his frustration, where that comes from. It wasn’t handled the right way, in our training room. It is what it is. His not 100% is still good enough for us.

Beckham has averaged 4.5 catches and 64.9 yards per game — enough to put him on pace for a 1,000-yard season, but both career lows by a significant margin. He was vague when asked about his future with this team when talking to reporters leading up to Week 14, and later attempted to clarify his comments via Twitter.

Ok ... I NEVER said I was not happy in Cleveland, just like everyone else I’m hopeful for better results. Period. Next story plzz ...

— Odell Beckham Jr (@obj) December 6, 2019

But even after that, Fox insider Jay Glazer reported Beckham had broadcasted his dislike of Cleveland to teammates and other NFL staffers throughout the week.

The former Giant has been forced into a supporting role behind Jarvis Landry, who has emerged as one of the league’s top wideouts while recording 115 targets to Beckham’s 108. Would a fully healthy Beckham earn more looks and elevate Mayfield back to the late 2018 form that pushed him into rookie of the year consideration? Or do Cleveland’s flaws run deeper than a star wideout who’s played hurt in 2019?

Panic index: A trip to the postseason would be the balm to soothe the aches created in any rift between Beckham and the Browns. Unfortunately, the New York Times’ playoff odds calculator gives Cleveland just a 4 percent shot at extending its season. Beckham will undergo surgery in the offseason, giving him time to get healthy and the Browns a chance to sell him on his future in Cleveland.

If Beckham truly wants out, the club can release him while leaving just $2.75 million in dead cap space behind. Beckham could also be traded again, with teams like the Cowboys, Saints, and 49ers mentioned as possibilities. It would be a pretty short-sighted move — but these are the Browns, so let’s not rule anything out.

The Rams finally got their act together — but it might be too late

The LA Rams entered the month of December sitting at 6-5, with longshot playoff hopes only one year after making the Super Bowl. Quarterback Jared Goff hadn’t thrown a touchdown pass the entire month of November. They had just gotten outclassed by the Ravens in a 45-6 beatdown at home on Monday Night Football.

But through the first two weeks of December, the Rams have found their groove, with two straight wins over the Cardinals and the Seahawks. In his last two games, Goff has looked much improved compared to what he did the month prior. He put up some of his best numbers all season, completing 73 percent of his passes for 711 yards and four touchdowns (along with two INTs). He had a passer rating of 110 and averaged 9.7 yards per attempt, too.

It’s not just Goff, either. Running back Todd Gurley has been more productive in the last couple weeks, rushing for 174 combined yards, two touchdowns, and another 54 yards receiving. The defense held the Cardinals to just seven points and 198 total yards in the Rams’ 34-7 victory. In Week 14, it didn’t allow Russell Wilson to throw a touchdown pass for the first time all year, while Seattle’s 12 points were its lowest output of the season.

Despite the turnaround, it may be too little, too late for the Rams. They’re currently on the outside of the playoff picture and have to play the Cowboys in Dallas this Sunday, followed by another road trip to face the 11-2 San Francisco 49ers. As it stands now, the Rams have just a 34 percent chance of making the playoffs, per the New York Times.

Panic index: The Rams are already eliminated from NFC West contention, so they’re competing with the 9-4 Vikings and 7-6 Bears for the No. 6 spot in the NFC. The Rams’ best bet to land the wild card bid is to win out. But even if they win the last two out of three, they still have a chance, especially if the Vikings stumble.

Either way, the Rams aren’t in complete control of their destiny. They could have been if they hadn’t slumped so hard in the middle of the season — or, simply, if Greg Zuerlein hadn’t missed his last-second field goal attempt in Week 5.

The Texans’ defense can’t be trusted in the playoffs, if they get there

Deshaun Watson is doing his best to drag Houston into the playoffs. The Texans are tied with the Titans for the AFC South title and — even if they don’t win that — they could beat out the Steelers and company for a wild card berth.

While Watson has the Texans in the top 10 in total offense, the defense is on the opposite end of the spectrum. Only four teams have allowed more passing touchdowns than Houston, despite a trade that brought in cornerback Gareon Conley and the addition of cornerback Vernon Hargreaves off the waiver wire.

Instead of getting better with those acquisitions, the Texans’ pass defense is headed in the other direction. Opposing quarterbacks now have a 101.7 passer rating against the Texans, fourth-worst in the NFL. Tom Brady’s only 300-yard passing day in the last two months came in Week 13 against the Texans. Broncos rookie quarterback Drew Lock ripped the Houston secondary to shreds a week later in a 38-24 win that was his second ever NFL game.

J.J. Watt is on injured reserve and Jadeveon Clowney was traded away to the Seahawks before the season began. Without them, Whitney Mercilus is the only player on the defense with more than four sacks.

Their inability to stop any quarterback may lose them a spot in the postseason, and if the team still manages to get in, an early exit could be on the way.

Panic index: Houston is two wins away from the playoffs and anything can happen in January. If the Texans can make a run, they certainly wouldn’t be the first team with a shaky defense to get to the Super Bowl. After all, they already beat the Chiefs and the Patriots this season.

The 41-7 loss to the Ravens in November is a bad sign, though. The Texans need to find a way to get some stops or force some turnovers, and fast.

The latest 49ers injuries may be the most concerning yet

The 49ers have succeeded this season despite a long list of injuries that included both starting tackles, both starting running backs, their kicker, and their second-best pass rusher. They’d been getting healthier over the past couple weeks, but their win over the Saints came at great cost.

They lost starting center Weston Richburg to a torn patellar tendon. He’ll miss the remainder of the season and the postseason, meaning the 49ers will have to turn to Ben Garland at center.

Perhaps worse is the injury to cornerback Richard Sherman. He’s missed time already this season, but he’s now dealing with a hamstring strain that will have him miss “a couple weeks.”

Sherman has been among the best cornerbacks in the league this season.

Richard Sherman is currently allowing just 0.50 receiving yards per snap in coverage. That's the lowest of any qualifying CB, and so far, the lowest of Sherman's career. #49ers It's #GoodOnGood with Sherman and the #49ers coverage unit facing Drew Brees, Michael Thomas & Co. pic.twitter.com/U1HfX25CZB

— PFF SF 49ers (@PFF_49ers) December 7, 2019

He’s locked down his side of the field, so much so that the play of safety Jaquiski Tartt has been overlooked because Sherman does such a good job of taking away everything on that side. Sherman missing time could be huge, especially as the 49ers battle for seeding. They currently hold the top seed in the NFC, but face must-win games to stay ahead of the division rival Seahawks.

Panic index: Garland played well when Richburg left the Saints game, but the play of Ahkello Witherspoon behind Sherman has been spotty. The 49ers’ much-feared defense is a lot less fearsome without Sherman in there. Obviously, resting up and being ready for the playoffs is important, but if “a couple weeks” turns out to include the Week 17 matchup against the Seahawks, then the 49ers could easily drop from first seed to fifth.

The Saints screwed up their best chance at getting the NFC’s No. 1 seed

The Saints have lost shootouts before, though usually they happen early in the season. The Saints have lost heartbreakers due to defensive breakdowns before, though usually they happen in the playoffs.

In Week 14, they did both — and it might end up costing them a coveted top seed in the playoffs.

After jumping out to an early 20-7 lead against the 49ers, and then a 27-14 lead, the Saints fell behind right before halftime. They battled back-and-forth with the 49ers for the second half, and then Drew Brees brilliantly engineered a seven-play, 76-yard drive to put the home team up 46-45 with less than a minute to go.

That’s when the New Orleans defense, which was already in the midst of its worst game of the season, collapsed. On fourth-and-2, the Saints let Jimmy Garoppolo find his favorite target, George Kittle, and proceeded to let the tight end go full Beast Mode on them:

NO FEAR.@gkittle46 | #GoNiners pic.twitter.com/g3vprcCOpX

— San Francisco 49ers (@49ers) December 8, 2019

Not only did it take three Saints to tackle Kittle, but they also got called for an obvious facemask penalty. That set up Robbie Gould to kick the game-winning field goal as time expired.

The sequence vaulted the 49ers to the No. 1 seed in the NFC, and moved the Saints down from the top seed to the No. 3 seed. That means that if the playoffs started today, the Saints wouldn’t get a first-round bye and they wouldn’t get to host a possible NFC Championship Game either. That’s a big deal for the Saints, who are 6-1 in playoff games at the Superdome since Brees has been their quarterback.

Panic index: The good news is that no matter what, the Saints are in the playoffs and can’t finish any worse than the No. 3 seed (thanks to the god-awful NFC East). The Saints have a manageable schedule in the final three weeks, and New Orleans can jump right back up into a top seed. The bad news is that they need the 49ers and/or Packers to falter to do that — and now the Saints are without one of their best defensive playmakers, Marcus Davenport, for the rest of the season.

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