What to Watch for in 2021: New York Sports

 

2020 was a bad year for New York sports. Yankees and Islanders had some success, but beyond that, there isn’t much to brag about. But 2021 should be a lot better for all of the teams as there is a lot to look forward to and be excited about.

(NOTE – I am not a hockey guy, so forgive me for omitting the

Mets – What to do with all the new money

The days of cheap ownership are over for the Mets. As the team enters the new year, they have a lot to be excited for.

Out – cheap Wilpon family. In – Steve Cohen, a New York-born, lifelong Mets fans with a net-worth of $14 billion. That’s billion, with a b.

Last year, the Mets signed guys like Michael Wacha and Rick Porcello because they were cheap. This year, the Mets will be in contention for Cy Young winner Trevor Bauer, and a few other All Star calibers players, because they can out-pay everyone else.

However, as the next team on this list knows first hand – paying the top players, doesn’t always equal championships.

Yankees – Back to the World Series?

Fun fact about NY sports – the METS are the last NY/NJ team to play for a championship (2015). Yankees last won the World Series in 2009, which is also their last appearance. They have won a playoff series in 4 straight seasons, but have not advanced past the ALCS.

The roster is loaded with talent at every position. Astros and Indians will suffer some losses this winter. Rays’ roster will likely remain stagnant, as well as the Twins (if not lose a couple of pieces). The American League is prime for the Yankees to takeover, IF they can put it all together come October.

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Knicks – What day is the 2021 Draft Lottery? 

Entering the 2020-21 season, I believe the Knicks are in much better shape than they have recently. There is front office and coaching stability and a strong nucleus of young players (RJ Barrett, Mitchell Robinson, Obi Toppin) plus a healthy mix of veterans who should not disrupt player development, which was a problem at times last season.

Here’s the thing though – while the direction is clear and fans are excited for the future, this Knicks team still won’t be good in 2021. Fans hate hearing this, but the Knicks are one year away. This time it might be for real, though. How about one more high lottery pick with the aforementioned nucleus and roughly $50 million in cap space next summer.

Nets – Durant and Kyrie return to the playoffs

• 6/11/2018 – the last time Dirant played an NBA game, where he tore his Achillies as a member of the Warriors, during the NBA Finals against Raptors.
• 5/8/2019 – Kyrie Irving’s last playoff game, as a member of the Celtics.

The Nets made the playoffs in 2020, but both Durant and Kyrie missed the bubble playoffs as they recovered from respective injuries. Irving played just 20 games in his debut season for the Nets.

Both men are expected to be healthy in 2021, which makes the Nets a legit championship contender. A lineup Caris LeVert, Jarrett Allen, Spencer Dinwiddie was good enough to propel the Nets into the playoffs last year. Now, take that lineup, plus an impressive amount of depth, and add 2 of the best players in the NBA, and the expectation goes from being competitive to raising a trophy. 

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Jets – Trevor Lawrence’s debut

Before the season, I don’t think many people pegged the Jets as being in the Lawrence sweepstakes. Maybe the Jets would be bad enough for a high draft pick, but your expectations 7-8 months ago would be that the pick would be used on offensive line or a playmaker on offense.

Now, as the Jets approach a historic 0-16 season, it’s obvious Sam Darnold isn’t the answer at quarterback. Maybe his career is still salvageable somewhere else, but he won’t be a Jet in 2021. Right?? I mean, even the Jets can’t mess this one up. Jets cannot pass on the best QB prospect in 10 years. 

Lawrence immediately raises expectations for the Jets and his presence will benefit the team’s pending coaching search this winter as he makes the job more attractive. It also makes Jets more attractive to potential running backs and wide recievers, something the Jets currently lack, but will need in order for Lawrence to be successful.

Jets have a surplus of draft picks and cap space in 2021, so there is a path to building a quick winner.

Giants –  PLAYOFFS?!

*Cue Jim Mora Sr press conference clip*

At 5-7, the New York Giants are in first place in the NFC East and are on pace to host a playoff game in January 2021. Quite the remarkable turnaround, for a team who was once 1-7 and considered a contender for a top 3 draft pick.

Making the playoffs would be incredible for a young, but talented Giants team. No doubt, the franchise would benefit more from the young guys getting playoff game experience, as opposed to adding another high draft pick.

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Rangers – Debut of Alexis Lafrenière

Among the many weird things to happen in 2020, Rangers pulled off a great one – qualified for the playoffs and were eligible for the NHL Draft Lottery, which they won. Due to the circumstances around the NHL pause in March, when they resume play over the summer they went straight into an expanded playoffs. Because they added teams, the teams that lost in the first round (like the Rangers) were also eligible for the lottery.

Alexis Lafrenière is considered the best prospect in a long time (maybe Sidney Crosby) so if there was ever a draft lottery to win, it was this one.

With the Rangers moving on from longtime legendary goalie, Henrik Lundqvist, there is a void in the “face of the franchise” department for Lafreniere to fill as he faces expectations the size of the city.

Islanders – Opening of USB Arena

After a few years of bouncing around between Long Island and Brooklyn, the Islanders will FINALLY have a permanent home. In time for the 2021-2022 NHL season, Islanders will begin play at USB in Elmont, New York, located next to the Belmont Racetrack.

Playing at Barclays Center in Brooklyn has been a disaster. The arena was built specifically for basketball, so the site lines are off and there are sections of no seats or bad seats. This new $1 billion arena is built specifically for hockey and specifically to showcase the history and future of the Islanders.

Devils – Emergence of #1 picks

The Devils last won a playoff series in 2012 when they reached the Stanley Cup (lost to Kings). It’s been a rough rebuild, but the future is bright with 2017 #1 pick Nico Hischier and 2019 #1 Jack Hughes

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Liberty – Return of Sabrina Ionescu plus #1 pick

Liberty recently won the 2021 WNBA Draft Lottery for the second straight year.

In 2020, Liberty drafted National Player of the Year, Sabrina Ionescu. The former Oregon legend only played 3 games due to an injured ankle. But in 2021, a healthy Ionescu, along with the 2021 #1 pick, Kia Nurse, Asia Durr and others give the Liberty a very bright future to look forward to in 2021 and beyond.

9 Biggest Sports Losers of 2020

 

Despite the struggles and challenges, 2020 has seen it’s share of success stories in sports. It has also seen some stories of disappointment and failure. That’s what this article is – a look at 9 of the biggest losers in sports throughout this year.

Editor’s note – we all lost in 2020. It’s been a really difficult year for almost everyone. But I kept this list specifically focused on sports – no politics, no COVID, and no tragic events (ie – Kobe).

9. Fans of non-conference college football

COVID-19 pandemic forced the cancellation of most non-conference college football games in 2020. Conferences felt it was more convenient to play teams that will all follow the same testing protocols and guidelines.

As a result, the following games were cancelled in 2020:

• Oregon vs Ohio State
• Notre Dame vs Wisconsin
• USC vs Alabama
• Washington vs Michigan
• Auburn vs North Carolina
• Penn State vs Virginia Tech
• Miami vs Michigan State
• Tennessee vs Oklahoma
• North Dakota St vs Oregon

Conference-only games dominated the 2020 season, which is unfortunate because all of these games (and many more) were cancelled.

8. Minnesota

Twins won the AL Central division, making the playoffs for a second straight year and third time in four years. Unfortunately, they were swept 2-0, increasing their historic playoff losing streak to 18 games. Twins haven’t won a playoff game since 2004.

Older Minnesota sports fans also watched teams who previously relocated win championships.

• Dallas Stars, who played as the North Stars from 1967-1993 in Minneapolis, won the 2020 Stanley Cup, their second since moving to Dallas.
• Lakers, who won 5 of the franchise’s 17 championships in Minnesota, won another in LA.

Normally, this type of issue wouldn’t be a problem, except the current NHL team (Wild) has never appeared in the Stanley Cup and the current NBA team (Timberwolves) has one playoff appearance since 2004, which is the year they won the franchise’s only playoff series.

More reasons why Minneapolis is the saddest sports city.

7. Boston

Boston has won 54 championships over the last 20 years (that’s a ROUGH estimate, but it feels that way, no?). 2020 was a loss for Boston, which probably makes the rest of the world happy.

The city lost two legends – Red Sox traded away 2018 MVP Mookie Betts and didn’t seem to receive a major haul in return. Betts then helped the Dodgers win the 2020 World Series, while the Red Sox finished among the worst teams in MLB.

Tom Brady, who helped the Patriots win 6 Super Bowls, departed as a free agent and signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, a team with very little history of success He has been replaced by Cam Newton, who has had a pretty rocky season with zero offensive weapons around him.

Celtics made the Eastern Conference Finals for the third time in four years, but again failed to advance to the Finals (0-3 during that run).

Bruins finished with the most wins in the NHL regular season (44) and most points (100) but lost in 5 games to the eventual champion Lightning in the second round of the playoffs.

6. Cincinnati sports

Good news for the Bengals? They drafted Joe Burrow #1 overall and he was awesome! Bad news? He tore his ACL during a week 11 loss to Washington.

Good news for the Reds? They made the playoffs for the first time since 2013. Bad news? They didn’t score a single run in 22 innings (outscored 6-0).

The city of Cincinnati has not won a playoff game/series since 1995, when the Reds won the NLDS (Bengals haven’t won a game since 1990).

Good news for Cincinnati Bearcats football? They are on pace to win the AAC Championship for the first time and finish the regular season with an undefeated record. Bad news? Despite having a historic season, they have no chance to not only win, but to even compete for a championship.

Good news for Bearcats basketball? They finished first place in the AAC during the regular season. Bad news? There was no NCAA Tournament so there was no 10th consecutive March Madness for the school.

5. Los Angeles

The Lakers and Dodgers won their respective championships, and that puts LA on the winner’s list. But with so many teams, they also qualify for the loser’s list.

• Clippers – still never made the conference finals. You can see in the tweet below, they held a huge lead entering the fourth quarter in Game 5 of their second round series against the Nuggets. Somehow, from point on, things unraveled. And I mean UNRAVELED! Clippers blew leads in each of the final three games and blew a 3-1 series lead, as the Nuggets advanced to the Western Conference Finals, despite the presence of Kawhi Leonard and Paul George.

• Angels – 2020 was supposed to be the easiest path to the playoffs ever. Half the league qualified for the postseason in an expanded format. Angels hired former World Series champion Joe Maddon as their new manager. And still, despite the presence of the best player in the sport, Mike Trout putting up MVP-type numbers, Angels again failed to make the playoffs. Which means throughout Trout’s 9 year career, Angels have yet to win a playoff game.

• Kings – finished second in the lottery. That normally means two things – 1) you stunk during the season, which is true for the Kings. and 2) you are guaranteed one of the top players in the draft. While the second point is true, Alexis Lafrenière was considered the consensus top player, one of the best the NHL Draft has seen in many, many years.
  Note – while the Kings missed out on Lafrenière, they may have still hit a homerun with Quinton Byfield.

• Rams/Chargers – the two NFL teams opened up beautiful $5 billion stadium, but have done so without fans all season.

4. Las Vegas

Congrats Vegas! You finally have an NFL team!!

Sorry Vegas residents, you can’t actually see the Raiders play in person.

It’s been an awkward transition from Oakland to Vegas for the Raiders since local fans haven’t been able to fully embrace them. Vegas has spent the 2020 season playing in a beautiful, but empty stadium, outside of an empty Strip in Las Vegas.

3. University of Oregon

Without an NCAA Tournament in March, the school lost out on two potential Final Four runs.

On the women’s side, Sabrina Ionescu was the best player in the country and the Ducks had a great shot at a second straight Final Four, to compete for the school’s first ever women’s title.

Payton Pritchard and the men’s Ducks, finished first in the PAC-12 during the regular season and in a wide-open bracket, had as good a chance as any team to make a run.

The football team was scheduled to host Ohio State, in a major non-conference game. This would have been an awesome game for fans to attend, creating an incredible atmosphere at Autzen Stadium and a magical experience for students. But instead, the pandemic canceled that. Oregon recently lost to Oregon State, after winning 11 of the last 12 against their state rivals. That loss ended the Ducks’ faint playoff hopes.

2. State of Texas football

Things have gone….not well for the entire state of Texas in the sport of football.

Let’s start with the NFL.

• Texans – In March, Texans traded Deandre Hopkins to the Cardinals for a washed up running back and a second (NOT FIRST) round draft pick. They fired GM/head coach/OC Bill O’Brien early in the season and are on track for a top 5 draft pick in 2021…except they don’t own their pick. The Dolphins possess both the Texans’ first AND second round picks in 2021, courtesy of a trade for LT Laremy Tunsil (made in 2019).
• Cowboys – 2020 has been a total disaster. Early in the year, the defense was historically awful and injuries have been an issue. Free agent-to-be Dak Prescott suffered a major foot injury during week 6 and the Cowboys are just 3-8.

In college,

• Texas is not back. They are 6-3 and will not play for the Big 12 championship. They last won the conference title in 2009.
• Baylor has been a disaster in 2020. One year after playing in the Big 12 Championship Game, Bears are 2-6, and 0-6 against teams not from Kansas.
• Houston has had 8 games postponed/rescheduled due to COVID. It’s been a weird and rough season for the Cougars.
• Texas Tech finished the season 4-6, and haven’t finished over .500 since going 7-6 in 2015

It’s worth noting, Texas A&M is having a great season, but likely won’t qualify for the playoffs.

1. College hoops fans

The cancellation of the NCAA Tournament is one of the worst sports stories of 2020. College hoops fans were deprived of their true love. Even non-fans, who follow for the gambling aspect.

Cancelling the tournament was the right decision, but that doesn’t make it any less sad or disappointing. Especially for seniors, or for men and women planning to depart school after the season – just a rough ending to their careers.

Biggest Sports Winners of 2020

 

2020 has been a very challenging year for everyone. As the year comes to a close, not everyone is in a celebratory mood. But when it comes to sports, despite the obstacles and challenges that all leagues and fans faced, there are still plenty of winners out there.

Sports Fans

Let’s be honest, despite the challenges and stress, sports found a way to win in 2020.

Those challenges included:

• NBA and NHL on hold from March to June
• MLB experienced a delayed start and significantly shortened season (with no fans the whole way)
• NFL had no pre-season and has experienced several rescheduled games. Teams have had to navigate through the absence of key players (or even entire position groups)
• College football and college basketball have dealt with tons of postponements and outright cancellations

But in spite of this, the show has gone on! Everyone that went on hold came back. NBA, NHL, MLB, and WNBA all completed their seasons and crowned champions.

In fact, those 4 leagues plus NFL and MLS gave us games on September 10th – the first time ever all 6 of those leagues played at the same time.

The NFL has really been a winner. While every other league saw cancellations and delays, the NFL has experienced neither (to date). Peak pandemic happened during the NFL’s off-season and they were able to push forward with free agency and the draft without any interruption.

There have been several games that have been pushed back from it’s originally scheduled game, but to-date NO games have been outright cancelled. Sure, a large handful of players have missed games due to COVID, the lack of fans is still weird, and the shuffling schedule is annoying, but the NFL has found a way to avoid major conflict during this season.

Sports today are very different than they were a year ago, but they are moving forward. Fans may be home, instead of in the stands, but as long as the games are on, whatever games they might be, we all win.

New York Mets

The pandemic cost Major League Baseball millions and millions of dollars. With no fans in the stands, every team took a major revenue hit in order to complete this season.

As the dust settles and baseball moves forward, one team is in a great position to proceed – the Mets.

Mets were sold to billionaire Steve Cohen, who spent an MLB-record $2.46 billion to acquire the team that he and his family grew up loving. Cohen, from Long Island, has been a minority owner for years and has already breathed new life and excitement into a franchise that has been known for being cheap and outdated.

It’s not just that Steve Cohen is worth a lot of money. It’s that his worth, compared to the rest of MLB owners is scary. Mets need a lot of help and not just on the field.

This money can be allocated for a number of departments, such as

• Analytics, where they significantly lack compared to others
• Front office where they could out-pay competitors for talent
• Medical, given how the Mets always seem to have a ridiculous amount of injuries.
• Players – yeah, good luck outbidding them in free agency.

The overall product of the Mets is about to improve. Will it lead to a championship?

Los Angeles

Los Angeles – the city of champions!

Lakers made the NBA Playoffs for the first time since 2013 and won their first series since 2012. Ultimately, they won 4 series, which included the last one. Lakers won the franchise’s 17th championship and first since 2010. Lebron James won his 4th championship (first in LA) and captured his 4th Finals MVP

Dodgers won their first World Series since 1988. After losing back-to-back World Series in 2017 and 2018, Dodgers finally got off the schneid and defeated the Rays.

Despite this success, LA also appears on the loser’s list.

Sarah Fuller

Sarah Fuller deserves all the congrats in the world. On Saturday November 28th, Fuller was the kicker for Vanderbilt’s men’s football team. To start the second half, Fuller kicked off, making her the first female to ever play in a P5 college football game.

Unfortunately, Vandy stinks and Fuller never had a real opportunity to kick a field goal or an extra point. But that changed on Saturday 12/12, in a game against Tennessee.

Fuller nailed 2 extra points, going 2-2 in the game, becoming the first female in Power-5 conference history to score a point in a game.

Patrick Mahomes

Let’s recap the year Mahomes had

• February – led Chiefs to Super Bowl win, first for KC since 1969 and was named MVP of the game
• March – signed a new contract worth up to as much as $503 million over 10 years
• September – announced his engagement to long-time girlfriend and later in the month, announced she was pregnant with their first kid

Super Bowl, $500 million, pending baby, and engagement – I’d say Mahomes won 2020.

Michael Jordan

How can Michael Jordan ever be classified as anything but a winner, with his 6 championships (and 0 Finals losses).

With the sports world on hold in May and June, ESPN’s Last Dance documentary series became the focal point of sports talk and social media. The show reminded viewers that Jordan truly is the greatest of all-time and debating this is a waste of time.

The show also turned Jordan into America’s #1 meme. For so long, “Crying Jordan” had been one of the top memes, but now his newest meme is laughing at an iPad.

But that’s not all that MJ achieved in 2020.

Moving forward, all NBA teams will have the Jordan Jumpman logo on one of their alt jerseys, which is an extremely disrespectful, but savage move. While all fans respect Jordan, many also hate him. Are Utah Jazz fans or New York Knicks fans really rushing to the store to buy jerseys with a Jordan logo? What about the Pistons? How about that Lebron Jordan jersey? Awkward!

Lastly, Charlotte Hornets, owned by Jordan, signed this year’s top free agent Gordon Hayward. Forget the contract (4 years, $120 million) – the idea of simply luring the best player available to a team like the Hornets is a huge win for the franchise. Another win – despite finishing with just the 8th worst record in the league, Hornets jumped up to #3 in the draft lottery and arguably walked away with the draft’s most talented player in LaMelo Ball.

Tampa Bay

City of Tampa has had a highly successful 2020 sports year.

First, the Bucs, who have the NFL’s third longest playoff drought at 12 years, signed QB Tom Brady. That’s quite the upgrade over Jameis Winston, who led the NFL with 30 interceptions in 2019.

Lightning won the Stanley Cup for the second time in franchise history (2007). This came one year after a major failure, where they won the most games in NHL history in 2018-19, but were swept out of the first round of the playoffs.

In baseball, the Rays made the World Series for the second time in franchise history, but came up short losing to the Dodgers in 6 games.

The city also acquired an NBA team! Even if just temporarily. The Raptors will play in Tampa for the 2020-21 season, as Toronto borders remained closed.

Alex Smith

693 days and 17 surgeries after suffering a gruesome leg injury, Smith officially returned to the NFL on October 11th, in relief for Washington against the Rams.

One month later, on November 15th in Detroit, Smith found himself in the starting lineup for Washington. Football Team lost that game, but they are 2-1 since Smith was inserted in the starting lineup and are now in a battle for first place.

Smith is a lock to win Comeback Player of the Year in 2020, unless of course the league decides to give it to Ryan Tannehill again for overcoming nothing.

Houston Astros

Remember when the Astros cheated and everyone hated them? It feels like years ago that this story broke, but it actually happened in 2020. Not the cheating, but the revelation and backlash of it all.

Astros win 2020 by not getting punished by the league or booed by fans. Outside of heavy social media backlash, the Astros avoided it all. Sure, their GM and Manager got fired for their roles in this, but at the end of the day, who cares, those guys can and were replaced. What can’t, and apparently, won’t be replaced is the fact that they won the 2017 World Series.

Playing 2020 in empty ballparks across America was a major victory for the Astros as they avoided the boos from angry crowds.

In addition to playing in empty ballparks and avoiding angry fans, Astros finished 29-31 and still managed to make the playoffs. Not only did they make it, but they pushed the eventual champion Rays to the brink of elimination, forcing a Game 7 after trailing 3-1 in the ALCS.

Why the Golden State Warriors Were Not a Typical Super Team

 

In the NBA, the phrase “super team” is thrown out there a lot. Super team implies you have multiple All Stars through signing and trading for players. That is what the Boston Celtics did in 2008, when they had Paul Pierce and traded everyone else to get Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen. That’s what the Miami Heat did in 2010, when they had Dwyane Wade and signed Lebron James and Chris Bosh to go with him. Those are super teams.

The Warriors in 2014-15 and 2015-16 were not super teams.

Before Kevin Durant signed with the Warriors in the summer of 2016, They built themselves through the draft and they built themselves on other team’s mistakes.

In 2015-16, the Warriors won 73 games with 4 home grown players leading the way. Those 4 players. listed below, were also the top 4 point scorers for this team.

Steph Curry was drafted #7 in 2009.

The two-time NBA MVP was drafted 7th. In fact, another MVP was drafted 3rd, James Harden. Blake Griffin went #1 and (deep sigh) Hasheem Thabeet went #2 to Grizzlies.

Curry was the 5th guard drafted after Harden, Tyreke Evans (who won 2010 Rookie of the Year), Johnny Flynn, and Ricky Rubio. The latter two were both drafted by Minnesota at #5 and #6. I wonder if the Timberwolves ever regretted that? I also wonder if the Wolves are scared to pick ahead of the Warriors again in the 2020 Draft?

If you need someone to blame the Warriors’ success on – Grizzlies, Kings, Wolves.

Klay Thompson was drafted #11 in 2011

Thompson was drafted one spot after the Kings selected Jimmer Fredette 10th overall. Yiiiiiikes.

Guards Brandon Knight (8 to Pistons) and Kemba Walker (9 to Hornets) went right before Jimmer and Klay. Fine, fair.

Some bad picks include Wolves drafting Derrick Williams #2 and Wizards drafting Jan Vessley #6.

And then there is Bismack Biyombo, who went #7 to the Kings, but was traded to the Hornets.

Draymond Green was drafted #35 in 2012

As a second round pick, everyone is to blame as everyone passed on him. This pick originally belonged to the Nets. In February 2011, Nets traded this pick and Troy Murphy to the Warriors for Dan Gadzuric and Brandan Wright.

Ironically, when you say “everyone passed on him” that includes the Warriors, who took Festus Ezeli with the 30th pick, at the end of the first round. Green and Ezeli were two of three draft picks for the Warriors, including this next guy…

Harrison Barnes was drafted #7 in 2012

No, Barnes isn’t on the same level as Curry, Thompson, and Green. But he was 4th on the team in scoring, averaging 11.7 ppg and 5th in rebounding at 4.9 rpg.

I always felt that the Cavs should have drafted Barnes at 4, over Dion Waiters. Barnes went one pick after Damian Lillard and one before Terrance Ross.

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Like I said, the Warriors weren’t a super team in the same sense that others have been. They were simply a smart team. Great drafting and smart trades. Trades like Monta Ellis for Andrew Bogut and acquiring Andre Iguodala for some draft picks and salary dumps.

And in 2016, they signed Kevin Durant. At that point, you could say they became a super team but you could also blame the rest of the league. Blame the Thunder for blowing a 3-1 lead in the Western Conference Finals and not keeping their homegrown star. Blame the rest of the league’s powers for not being attractive enough for Durant to want to sign there (Lakers, Celtics, Heat, Knicks, Bulls)

6 Controversial Sports Award Votes

 

In honor of the 2020 Presidential Election, I take a look at some votes in sports that did not go well.

Ryan Tannehill comes back from nothing to win 2019 Comeback Player of the Year

Tannehill’s story is great. After 6 years in Miami, Tannehill was traded to the Titans with the intent of backing up Marcus Mariota. But after Mariota was benched in 2019, Titans went 7-3 after Tannehill as the starting QB and reached the AFC Championship Game.

But by literal definition, he was not the comeback player of the year. He didn’t come back from anything!

Four players received more than 2 votes – Tannehill, Jimmy Garoppolo, Darren Waller, and Travis Frederick.

• Garoppolo came back from a torn ACL, suffered week 3 of 2018. He returned in 2019 and helped lead 49ers to a 13-3 record, #1 seed in NFC and a Super Bowl appearance
• Waller came back from substance abuse issues and caught 90 passes, for 1,145 yards and 3 touchdowns for the Raiders.
• Frederick came back from Guillain–Barré syndrome and started all 16 games for the Cowboys

Torn ACL, drugs, and an attacked immune system. Meanwhile, Ryan Tannehill came back from….. ummm…..from….from what? From being bad? From Adam Gase? What exactly did Ryan Tannehill come back from between 2018 and 2019?

For more context on the award, here are the last 10 winners and what they came back from in parenthesis.

• 2018 – Andrew Luck (missed 2017 season with injuries
• 2017 – Keenan Allen (tore ACL week 1 during 2016 season)
• 2016 – Jordy Nelson (came back from a torn ACL suffered during 2015 season)
• 2015 – Eric Berry (RECOVERED FROM CANCER!!!!)
• 2014 – Rob Gronkowski (came back from torn ACL during 2013 season)
• 2013 – Philip Rivers (underwhelming 2012 – similar to Tannehill)
• 2012 – Peyton Manning (came back from a BROKEN NECK)
• 2011 – Matthew Stafford (came back from broken collarbone)
• 2010 – Mike Vick (returned to the NFL after two years in JAIL)
• 2009 – Tom Brady (came back from a torn ACL)

Tanehill’s award win is disrespectful to Eric Berry, among others. I don’t get it. Never have, never will.

Rogue Vote in 2013 costs Lebron James first unanimous MVP

Why do voters hate unanimous award winner?

In 2015-16, Steph Curry became the first player in NBA history to win the regular season MVP award, unanimously. It came close to happening twice – Shaq in 2000 and Lebron in 2013 both received 120 out of a possible 121 first-place votes.

I want to focus on the 2013 vote, because it is hilarious and awesome.

Carmelo Anthony got the rogue vote and it came from a Boston Globe writer. You can read more about why the vote went to Carmelo and not Lebron in his own words.

The 2012-13 Knicks were actually awesome. They finished second in the East, just 8 games behind Lebron and the Heat.

Take a look at the stats from that season.

	Lebron	Carmelo
Games	76	67
Minutes	37.9	37.0
FG %	56.5%	44.9%
3P FG %	40.6%	37.9%
PPG	26.8	28.7
RPG	8.0	6.9
APG	7.3	2.6
BPG	0.9	0.5
SPG	1.7	0.8

This is simply a case of voter fatigue and wanting to be different. This isn’t the first time or last time Lebron wasn’t voted for.

More fun with this vote – writers vote for their top 5 in MVP and two names really pop out that appeared on two separate ballots – Ty Lawson (Nuggets) and David Lee (Warriors).

Ken Griffey Jr inducted into Hall of Fame with less than 100% of vote

Ken Griffey Jr was inducted into the Hall of Fame with 99.32% of the vote.

Come on!!!!

If there’s one thing I hate, it’s this idea that “unanimous” is reserved for whatever reason. Baseball writers oddly value this idea that no player is deserving of a unanimous induction into the Hall of Fame.

In 2016, Griffey Jr received 99.32% of first place votes. That means he was named on 437 out of 440 ballots. Phrased another way – 3 PEOPLE DID NOT VOTE KEN GRIFFEY JR INTO THE HALL OF FAME!!!

Look, you are either a Hall of Fame player or you are not. The voting percentage means someone did NOT vote Griffey into the Hall of Fame.

13x All Star, 10x Gold Glove, 7x Silver Slugger. He is 7th on the all-time homerun list (630), 16th on career RBI list (1,836), 53rd on career hits list (2,781).

There was never a hint of steroid abuse during an era where steroids were abused.

Three years after Griffey’s snub, Mariano Rivera became the first player to ever receive a unanimous induction. In 2020, Derek Jeter fell one vote short of unanimity.

O-Lineman Gets 2019 Second Place Heisman Vote

On the topic of unanimous, LSU QB Joe Burrow probably should have received 100% of the first place votes in the 2019 Heisman Trophy voting. Burrow won by the largest margin in the history of the award, and the highest share of possible points available.

So what can I possibly complain about?

Bruce Feldman of The Athletic gave his first place vote to Burrow and his second place vote to Oregon left tackle Penei Sewell.

Look, I am of the belief that the Heisman is the MVP of college football and it does not have to go to the best QB every year. But you can never convince me that an offensive lineman alone, has the impact of a QB like Burrow or Jalen Hurts (who finished second) or a RB like JK Dobbins or Jonathan Taylor or a LB like Chase Young.

Sewell is dominant and a guaranteed top 5 pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. But it takes 5 people to collectively protect a QB and create holes for the RB and it takes talented guys at those positions to make the OL look good. This was a waste of a vote.

2008 Heisman – Who is Nate Davis?

In 2008, Ball State football had an incredible season, led by former coach Brady Hoke. Ball State went 12-0 in the regular season out of the MAC, before losing the conference championship game and their bowl game to finish 12-2.

QB Nate Davis threw for 3,500 yards, 32 touchdowns total (26 pass, 6 rush) and 8 interceptions. Those are pretty good numbers, albeit against lesser competition than some other QBs.

For example, here are the 4 QBs who finished at the top of the Heisman Trophy voting.

• Oklahoma’s Sam Bradford won the Heisman after throwing 50 TD passes.
• Florida QB Tim Tebow threw 30 TD, only 4 INTs and ran for 673 yards and 12 TDs.
• Texas QB Colt McCoy threw for 38 TD and 8 INTs.
• Texas Tech QB Graham Harrell, who helped lead the Red Raiders to an 11-2 record and an epic upset over Texas, threw for 5,111 yards, 45 TD, 9 INT

These 4 were truly incredible, during a very fun season. Nate Davis earned 1 second place vote and 8 third place votes. That means 9 people, felt Davis had a better season than the 4 QBs above. That means 9 people, should have their votes revoked.

I’m all for fun and supporting and respecting “the little guys” in college football. But sometimes, you also have to support and respect the best guys.

2018 “Rookie” of the year

This is a matter of opinion, but my opinion is that your rookie season is your first year in the NBA. Whether you play that season or not, is irrelevant.

Ben Simmons was the #1 pick in the 2016 NBA Draft, but missed the whole 2016-17 season due to an injury. When he debuted, he was named Rookie of the Year at the end of the 2017-18 season. Simmons won the award over a handful of worthy players drafted in 2017, most notably Donovan Mitchell.

Even though Simmons didn’t play, he still got to experience life in the NBA. He traveled with Philly, enjoyed the locker room, hung around practices, watched film, and learned from some true professionals. While he was doing that, Mitchell was still in college.

Your rookie season is more than just your first playing season – it’s your first experience in the NBA, and Simmons experienced plenty despite not actually playing.

Statistically, Simmons deserved the award. But logistically, he did not.

History of the NBA During Presidential Election Years

 

 A look back at some fun history of the NBA during Presidential election years.

Most championships

• LA Lakers – 6 (2020, 2000, 1988, 1980, 1972, 1952*)
• Boston Celtics – 6 (2008, 1984, 1976, 1968, 1964, 1960)
• Chicago Bulls – 2 (1996, 1992)
• Cleveland Cavaliers – 1 (2016)
• Miami Heat -1 (2012)
• Detroit Pistons – 1 (2004)
• Philadelphia Warrior – 1 (1956)
• Baltimore Bullets – 1 (1948)

*1952 Lakers championship came when the team played in Minneapolis

Lebron James

• Lebron has won the last 3 Election year NBA titles (2012, 2016, 2020), and done so on 3 different teams (Heat, Cavs, Lakers)
• Regular season MVP in 2012
• He won Rookie of the Year in 2004.
• NBA scoring champion in 2008
• Won 2 Olympic Gold medals (2008, 2012)

Most NBA MVP awards

• Michael Jordan – 3 (1996, 1992, 1988
• Kareem Abdul-Jabar – 3 (1980, 1976, 1972)
• Wilt Chamberlein – 2 (1968, 1960)

#1 Draft Picks

• Starting five – Allen Iverson (1996), Oscar Robertson (1960), Shaquille O’Neal (1992), Hakeem Olajuwon (1984), Elvin Hayes (1968)
• Bench– Ben Simmons (2016), Anthony Davis (2012), Derrick Rose (2008), Dwight Howard (2004), Kenyon Martin (2000)

Notable Events (since 1988)

• 2020 – Worldwide pandemic, bubble basketball
• 2016 – Warriors won 73 games, overcame 3-1 deficit vs Thunder in West Final, then blew 3-1 lead in NBA Finals to Lebron and Cavs (Cleveland’s first NBA title) and then signed Kevin Durant. All of this happened in Kobe Bryant’s final season.
• 2012 – Lebron James won his first career NBA title, during a season which was shortened by a lockout and only 66 games were played during the regular season.
• 2008 – Celtics, led by Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and Ray Allen beat the Lakers in NBA Finals. Seattle Sonics move to Oklahoma City and are rebranded as the Thunder.
• 2004 – Michael Jordan is forever connected to this Finals, which saw the Pistons beat the Lakers during the first official post-MJ era season and Lebron James’ rookie year.
• 2000 – The first career championships for Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal and the first of 3 straight for the duo plus Phil Jackson.
• 1996 – The 4th of 6 NBA titles for the Bulls and the first of 3 straight for MJ, Scottie Pippen, and Phil.
• 1992 – NBA lost two legends – Larry Bird played his final NBA games and Pistons coach Chuck Daly, who won two titles, resigned.
• 1988 – MJ wins his first MVP award; Charlotte Hornets and Miami Heat debut as expansion teams.

One-Sided Sports Debate

 

Tonight was supposed to be the second Presidential Debate of 2020. Instead, you will have to settle for the Great Sports Debate of 2020 via MikeDropSports.

Here are my thoughts on 5 relevant topics. To share your thoughts and dispute mine, feel free to comment on my latest Instagram Post which expresses my quick thoughts.

NFL: Can the Cowboys still win the NFC East?

Despite losing Dak Prescott on Sunday (and about a dozen other players, previously), I still think the Cowboys are the team to beat in the NFC East.

Right off the bat, you can remove the Giants (0-5) and Football Team (1-4) from the equation. Giants stink and Washington has QB issues (again). So, the question of who will win the NFC East comes down to a debate between the Cowboys (2-3) and Eagles (1-3-1).

Cowboys visit the Eagles during week 8 on November 1. Coming out of that game, we will have a pretty good idea of where these teams stand. Cowboys host the Cardinals and visit Washington the next two weeks, while the Eagles host the Ravens and then Giants. Eagles seem likely to go 1-1, while Cowboys have a shot at 2-0, but assuming they go 1-1, the game on 11/1 looms extra large.

Obviously, the big knock on the Cowboys right now is the injury to Prescott. Can Andy Dalton overcome a bad offensive line (he did in Cincinnati) and can the offense continue to score enough to compensate for their awful defense? They may need to change it up philosophically on offense. Through 4.5 games, the plan was to play fast on offense and score points. Now, they may have to revert to a slower style offense with an emphasis on the run game and clock management, to keep the defense off the field.

While Dallas is 2-3, two of those losses came on the road to the Rams and Seahawks, who are a combined 9-1 in 2020 and at home to the 4-1 Browns. The two wins both came on a last second field goal against the Falcons and Giants, who are a combined 0-10.

For the Eagles, their one win came against the 49ers on the road. Good win, but SF is depleted by injuries and are 2-3, with the two wins coming against Jets and Giants. They lost to Washington week 1 and in week 3 they tied the Bengals at home.

Carson Wentz leads the NFL with 9 interceptions, their #1 WR is a former college QB (Greg Ward) and this team has just looked out of sorts since week 1. If they can get healthy, the Eagles certainly have enough talent and an experienced coaching staff that makes you think they can turn it around, but the clock is ticking and the time to turn it around is slowly running out.

Dalton is no Prescott, but he doesn’t have to be. In 9 seasons with the Bengals, they made the playoffs 5 times. He is probably the best backup in the NFL and the Cowboys are as prepared for this situation as they could be. Given that this division is a disaster, going 8-8 or 9-7 is not unlikely and the truth is, this team wasn’t winning a Super Bowl with Prescott because of how bad the defense is. If the Cowboys could just get to the playoffs, it would be a major victory and show that the franchise is on stable grounds and can overcome adversity.

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NFL: Better shot at #1 pick – Jets or Giants

I think the Jets are worse than the Giants and have a better shot at the #1 pick.

For the Giants, they have talent. I believe Joe Judge has them buying in and while the process hasn’t produced results, the Giants are in every game. They lost to Dallas on a last second field goal. They lost by 8 to the Rams and 4 to the Bears, both on the road and both when the Giants had the ball, in opponent territory in the final minute. There is still enough talent on this roster to give fans hope for the future.

Contrarily, the Jets have no such hope. Adam Gase is a loser, a bad person, and an awful head coach. In addition to the misery of Gase, the Jets have a significant talent deficiency. Since the end of last season, the Jets have let Robby Anderson, Jamal Adams, and Le’Veon Bell all leave (only Adams was traded and returned assets).

Unlike the Giants, Jets are getting blown out every week. On Sunday, they lost by 20 at home to the Cardinals, lost last Thursday by 9 at home to Broncos who started Brett Rypien at QB, they were blown out by 49ers even though SF lost Jimmy Garoppolo (and a ton of others) to injuries, and they lost by 29 to the Colts.

Jets will be underdogs in all 11 remaining games. There is no game I feel good about. Maybe the Dolphins at home on 11/29? But that’s assuming they regress from the way they are playing now.

Giants have two games with Washington, including this Sunday (they are -3.5 point favorites). They also have a game against Cincinnati, which is a possible win.

Follow up – should either team consider a QB in 2021 Draft?

At this point, either team should consider Clemson QB Trevor Lawrence if they pick #1.

For the Jets, I personally still like Sam Darnold. I know he’s been awful in 2020 (and at times, prior) and has made zero progress, but I blame this on the coaches. I have hope that a new staff can fix him, but at this point I assume that staff will be with another franchise. I think whoever coaches the Jets in 2021, will want his guy, whether that’s Lawrence or Ohio State QB Justin Fields. 

For the Giants, Jones has shown promise. But he’s also shown cracks. He has a turnover in 17 or 18 games. That’s insane, especially when you’re team isn’t that good. When you’re far from perfect, you jut can’t make mistakes and give the other team even more opportunities. I never liked Jones during the pre-draft process and i think GM David Gettleman will be fired after this disaster if a season, so there’s a decent chance that a new GM may very well come in and clean house. 

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NBA: Should the Knicks trade for Chris Paul?

As a Knicks fan, I am torn on this. Paul, 35 years old, was extremely productive this past season and helped guide a young OKC Thunder team into the playoffs. This Knicks team isn’t that different from the Thunder. RJ Barrett, in year 2, could turn into the star that Shai Gilgeous-Alexander became in year 2. Mitchell Robinson and Steven Adams have similarities. The Knicks do lack a Danilo Gallinari-type, but you can certainly see similarities between the teams, if Paul were to join the Knicks.

But the truth is, Paul is past his prime and will cost a hefty price on two fronts. He has 2 years remaining where he is owed $41 million in 2020-21 and $44 million in 2021-22. While the Knicks don’t have many large contracts on the books, this does affect future flexibility, plus it’s likely that the salary cap decreases.

Is it worth it? I would he much more enthusiastic about the player on a friendlier contract, but the assets don’t bother me as much. The Knicks can’t keep adding rookies, at some point you need a veteran like Paul. Acquiring Paul will cost assets, such as at least one first round draft pick (they have 5 in the next 3 drafts), probably 2018 first rounder Kevin Knox and more.

Beyond the flexibility of cap space, there’s also PTSD on trading draft picks. What if Knox becomes a star in OKC? What if the future pick becomes a star (like Jamal Murray, whom Denver drafted with Knicks pick via Carmelo Anthony trade).

It’s a tough debate, but I say no. I think the Knicks can better utilize assets to build a playoff contender in 2021 and beyond.

For Paul’s sake, he is certainly better off going elsewhere. At this stage in his career, he can still be a key piece of a championship contender, which the Knicks obviously are not. As a CP3 fan, I’d love to see him on the Bucks or 76ers, as that’s where he could make his biggest impact. Paul would be a legit third star with Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton in Milwaukee and, even past his prime, is an upgrade over Eric Bledsoe. On the Sixers, he would reunite with Doc Rivers, who coached him on the Clippers from 2013-2017. Acquiring Paul would allow even more flexibility for Ben Simmons position-wise and would also set up a potentially dominant pick and roll game with Joel Embiid.

We’ll see what the future holds for Chris Paul, but it seems unlikely to be as part of the Thunder as they embark on a rebuilding project.

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MLB: Are the Rays America’s Team?

YES! Emphatically, yes.

Forget the America’s Team moniker for the Dallas Cowboys. Last week, I wrote how if the Cowboys are America’s Team, that America is in trouble. Of course, the reason for the nickname is their global brand, fan-base, and overall value (worth over $5 billion).

So, why the Rays? They have none of the above. Rays are one of the least recognizable brands in America and are consistently ranked near the bottom of MLB in attendance.

Well, the answer is simple. The Rays beat the Yankees in the NLDS and are one win away from beating the Astros in the NLCS. Those are two of the most universally despised and polarizing teams, not just in baseball, but in all of sports.

Because of the Yankees’ historical success and annual spending and because of the Astros’ cheating scandal, you either love these teams, as a fan, or you hate them. There is no in-between.

America’s Team should be someone that people can rally around. I can’t name a single player on the Rays and their payroll is always among the lowest in the league. It’s a fun, scrappy group of guys who overcome the odds and beat the best. You love to see it.

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CFB: Will Kirby Smart be the first former Nick Saban assistant coach to beat him?

DISCLAIMER: Late Wednesday, Nick Saban revealed he tested positive for COVID-19, which means he is unlikely to coach on Saturday IF the game is played as expected. I still think the write-up is relevant.

21-0. That’s the record of Alabama head coach Nick Saban when their opponent is coached by a former assistant of his. On Saturday, #2 Alabama hosts #3 Georgia, coached by Kirby Smart.

Smart worked under Saban in 2004 as LSU’s defensive backs coach, 2006 as the Miami Dolphins safeties coach and then 2007-2015 as defensive coordinator at Alabama, before accepting the Georgia job in 2016.

Since arriving at Georgia, he is 0-2 against Alabama and Saturday will be the first regular season matchup. Alabama won the National Championship Game in 2019 against and then 11 months later, beat Georgia in the SEC Championship Game.

Through three games, Georgia’s defense is allowing 12 ppg, while Alabama’s offense is scoring 51 ppg. Of course, this isn’t all that straight forward. For example, Alabama’s defense gave up 48 last week to Ole Miss, which forced the Tide to keep scoring.

Georgia is scoring 36 ppg, but here is a catch to this number. In 2 of their 3 games, most of the points have come after halftime. In week 1 against Arkansas, they scored 32 of their 37 points in the second half and last week against Tennessee, they scored 27 of 44 after halftime. That is not a sustainable strategy, especially against Alabama.

Georgia must come out strong if they want to win. Alabama’s offense is once again loaded, and as talented as the Georgia defense is, they have shown some weaknesses. Tennessee played well last week but couldn’t capitalize. Alabama is more than capable of taking advantage of the type of opportunities that the Vols couldn’t.

I like Alabama to win because of a few factors – momentum of home-field advantage, Najee Harris, speed and talent at WR, Dylan Moses, and the experience of Mac Jones (in comparison to Stetson Bennett).

Kirby Smart may beat Saban one day. But one day, won’t be Saturday.

How the Buffalo Bills Won the Patrick Mahomes Trade

 n 2017, the Kansas City Chiefs famously drafted Patrick Mahomes 10th overall. In hindsight, it’s hilarious because that means 9 teams passed on the former MVP and Super Bowl winning QB. It’s actually 10 teams if you include the Bills, who initially held the 10th pick.

It’s hard to be a winner when you are a team who passed on Mahomes, but I think it’s fair to say that the Bills came out of this trade in really good shape. The team has maximized the return they got for the 2017 #10 pick and laid the foundation for last year’s Wild Card team and this year’s division contending team.

Here are the full details of the deal

• Bills acquired three picks – Chiefs’ first round picks in 2017 AND 2018 plus a 2017 third round pick
• Traded Chiefs’ 2018 first round pick (#22) to Ravens to move up (#16)
• Traded Chiefs’ 2017 third rounder (#91) to Rams for a second (#37) and third round pick (#149) in 2017
• Then, traded the newly acquired third round pick (along with a third and a fifth) for the Falcons’ second round pick (#63)

Here are the key players drafted with those picks

CB Tre’Davious White (2017 first round, via Chiefs) – White was drafted with the #27 pick that initially belonged to the Chiefs. He is considered an elite cornerback, and was named to his first All-Pro and Pro Bowl teams in 2019 as he co-led the NFL in interceptions (6). Including Tuesday night, White has missed just two starts in his career.

OT Dion Dawkins (2017 third round, via Falcons) – Dawkins has started 47 of a possible 52 games for the Bills and done so at left tackle, after playing a lot of guard in college. He started all 16 games in 2018-2019 and even caught a TD on both seasons. Dawkins has allowed just 1 sack in 2020 (per PFF).

LB Tremaine Edmunds (2018 first round, via Chiefs and Ravens) – Bills used the Chiefs’ 2018 first rounder, to move up and grab Edmunds. The linebacker has missed just 1 game in two seasons and was named to the Pro Bowl in 2019. For his career, he has 3 interceptions, 3.5 sacks, 21 pass deflections, 2 forced fumbles, and 15 tackles for a loss.

In addition to Edmunds, the Bills acquired a fifth round pick from the Ravens in this trade and drafted CB Siran Neal (#154), who has mostly been a special teams player.

WR Zay Jones (2017 second round, via Rams) – Jones caught 9 touchdown passes in 2.5 years before being traded to the Raiders for a 2021 fifth round pick last October.

It’s hard to label the Bills as winners, when Mahomes and the Chiefs won the Super Bowl last season and these Bills haven’t won a playoff game yet. But the foundation is there. Buffalo at least came away with three starters and also used their own 2018 pick on QB Josh Allen, who up until week 5 was putting up MVP-caliber numbers and has been a huge reason for the Bills success the last two years.

Lasting Sports Legacy

 

“You are responsible for how people remember you — or don’t. So don’t take it lightly. If you do it right, your game will live on in others. You’ll be imitated and emulated by those you played with, those you played against and those who never saw you play at all. So leave everything on the court. Leave the game better than you found it. And when it comes time for you to leave, leave a legend.”

-Kobe Bryant

 

The True Basketball GOAT

Folks on TV and fans on social media spend so much time arguing about who is the greatest of all-time in basketball. It’s a pretty dumb argument, considering the true GOAT is hardly ever mentioned – Breanna Stewart. 

Stewart, just 26 years old, just helped the Seattle Storm win the 2020 WNBA Championship, their second in three years. 

Overall, Stewart’s resume includes 2 WNBA titles and 2 Finals MVPs, WNBA MVP in 2018, and Rookie of the Year in 2016. In college, Stewart helped UConn win 4 National Championships and she was named Tournament MOP all 4 times and was a 3x National Player of the Year. In 2016, she won an Olympic Gold Medal.

Her resume is truly second to none and her pro career is just beginning. Cheers to the true basketball GOAT! 

Lebron James’ Legacy

Moving onto the NBA’s GOAT discussion… 

On Friday night, the Lakers (up 3-1) will look to close out the 2020 NBA Finals, giving the franchise their 17th NBA Championship.

For Lebron James, it would be his 4th NBA title. It would also be the third straight Presidential Election where Lebron has won the NBA title and done so with three different teams. 

The Lebron greatness conversation always includes his Finals record (3-6). But to me, the most important number is 10. Lebron has played in the NBA Finals in 10 out of 17 seasons and he is notably 14-0 in first round series’. For comparison’s sake, Jordan lost his first three first round series.

But back to the Finals record. Six losses is nothing to brag about, but it’s important to view them in the proper context.

Let’s look closer at those 6 losses

• 2007 – Worst team ever

Cavs got swept by Tim Duncan and the Spurs. Drew Gooden (12.8 ppg) was the Cavs second leading scorer in the Finals. The lineup included James, Gooden, Sasha Pavlovic, Zydrunas Ilgauskas, and Daniel Gibson.

This might legitimately be the worst NBA Finals team of all-time. But to get there, Lebron single-handily beat a legendary Pistons team in the Eastern Conference Finals.

• 2011 – No excuse

In James’ first year in Miami, the Heat lost to the Mavs. As great and well put-together as that Dallas team was, there is no excuse for this loss. Miami had the better team and this is the one Finals loss that stands out as inexcusable.

• 2014 – Great Spurs

This Spurs team was great, going 62-20. The 62 wins were the most during any of their 5 championship seasons. They beat the Heat in just 5 games. Kawhi got his first ring and Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, and Manu Ginobili got their last ones.

• 2015 – No Kyrie Irving or Kevin Love

Do you need proof of Lebron’s greatness? Here it is.

Warriors won this series in 6 games, even though Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love were both out due to injuries. Lebron was stuck with Timofey Mozgov, the team’s second leading scorer (14.0 ppg), Tristan Thompson, Iman Shumpert, and Matthew Dellavedova, who was arguably the team’s second best player throughout the Finals.

• 2017 and 2018 – Warriors Super Team

2017 was the Warriors first year with Kevin Durant and coming off the blown 3-1 lead, no one ever had a chance of beating them. 

In 2018, Cavs traded Kyrie Irving before the season for a damaged Isaiah Thomas and returned to the Finals with a new group that included George Hill, Jordan Clarkson, Larry Nance Jr, and Rodney Hood, plus Love and Smith.

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I’m not making excuses for James, but he is not the best player ever – Michael Jordan is and forever will be. But there’s a huge difference between Jordan and James. Jordan went 6-0 in the Finals against 6 teams inferior to his. James lost 6 Finals, 5 of which to teams superior to his.

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NFL Week 5 – Legacy Matchups 

Tom Brady vs Nick Foles

Bears vs Bucs on Thursday Night Football is not the same thing as Patriots vs Eagles in the Super Bowl. Both of these guys’ legacies are entrenched. Brady is one of the greatest QBs of all-time, with his 6 Super Bowl wins and if he leads the Bucs to a Super Bowl at 43 years old, he would no doubt solidify himself at the top of the list.

Nick Foles is forever a Philly legend, having led the Eagles to their first ever Super Bowl victory. He is 0-5 as a starter since leaving Philly after the 2018 season and is making his second starter for the Bears. But it doesn’t matter, the legend of BDN will last forever. 

Drew Brees vs Chargers

Like Brady, Brees’ legacy is entrenched. Leading the Saints to a win in Super Bowl XLIV helps secure his place among the greats as does his spot at the top of many of the all-time statistical rankings.

On Monday Night Football, the Saints play the Chargers. In 2001, Brees was a second round pick to the Chargers, where he had an up-and-down 5 year stretch. At one point (in 2003) he was benched for Doug Flutie, and then Philip Rivers was drafted 4th overall in 2004 to replace him. Following back-to-back seasons over .500, in 2006, Brees left as a free agent and chose to sign with the Saints over the Dolphins.

Imagine how different things would be for everyone if Brees played for Nick Saban in Miami, or if the Chargers had never replaced him with Rivers?

Cam Newton vs Broncos

Cam’s legacy is fascinating as he has always been polarizing to fans and the media. No player has ever been built like Cam, with this combination of arm, speed, and overall strength. He is one-of-a-kind and a very special player.

Yet, he is constantly criticized and is labeled by many as selfish. Handing touchdown balls to little kids and making teammates smile doesn’t seem very selfish. He went 3 months of being unemployed before signing with the Patriots for the bare minimum and has gotten off to a strong start in 2020. 

It remains TBD if Cam will clear COVID protocols ahead of Sunday’s game against the Broncos, who Cam had one of the worst games of his career against in Super Bowl 50. Cam was awful, completing just 18-41 passes and producing a 55.4 QB rating. That’s definitely a very lasting memory of his career. Panthers were 15-1 and he won regular season MVP, but he flopped on the big stage and has had a hard time overcoming that.

Jason Garrett vs Cowboys

The Giants offensive coordinator has seen his team score 3 total offensive touchdowns, while his old team has gotten off to a scorching start offensively. However, the Cowboys are just 1-3 start, something they never did with Garrett. Dallas has a ton of questions surrounding the roster and the new coaching staff and Garrett has become a weekly trending topic on twitter as people wonder if he is really to blame for the last 10 years?

Adam Gase vs Kenyan Drake

This is simple – Jets head coach Adam Gase’s legacy is that he sucks. He’s an awful, awful head coach and the day he is fired will be a very proud day for this franchise. Gase’s legacy revolves around a group of (current or former) Dolphins offensive players who seemed held back by Gase’s ineptitude.

One of those guys is Cardinals RB Kenyan Drake. In 48 games with Miami under Gase, Drake ran for 1,358 yards and 9 TDs. In 8 games with Arizona in 2019, he ran for nearly half of the yardage, 643 yards, and 8 TDs.

Bill O’Brien vs himself

Texans face the Jaguars on Sunday. It will be their first game since 2013 where Bill O’Brien is not the head coach. Here’s the thing about O’Brien – he doesn’t suck as  head coach (unlike Gase). Texans made the playoffs in 4 of his 6 seasons, but never advanced past the second round. O’Brien went 52-48 in 6+ seasons, but he got power hungry and it disrupted the franchise. O’Brien became General Manager last year and from there, everything went down hill. Texans are 0-4 to start 2020 and don’t have a first OR second round pick in 2021 Draft because O’Brien traded both of them for LT Laremy Tunsil. Good player, horrible trade. He famously traded Deandre Hopkins for a washed up running back and a second round draft pick. His legacy is a good guy, good coach, who simply had more power and control than he ever deserved.

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College Football Week 6 – Legacy Games

Texas vs Oklahoma

Tom Herman is in year 4 at Texas. He is 1-3 vs the Sooners and his team suffered a bad loss against TCU last week (meaning Texas is not back). Oklahoma has lost 2 in a row and is 0-2 in Big 12 play.

Is Tom Herman just another guy or does he still have the potential to do special things at Texas? Is Lincoln Riley special? Or has he built his reputation off of established transfer QBs, as opposed to building them from the ground up (like Spencer Rattler). Both coaches have a lot on the line this week.

Florida vs Texas A&M

Jimbo Fisher got paid $75 million to leave Florida State and coach the Aggies in 2018. Since then, they have gone 9-4 and 8-5. He is a combined 1-6 against LSU, Auburn and Alabama.

In three games against Alabama, Texas A&M has been outscored by an average of 48-25. The one win came against LSU in 2018 in a flukish 7 overtime game that they won 74-72. 

Look, no one beats Saban and the Tide, but for $75 million, you have to come closer than they have and you have to be better than the 4th best team in your own division. 

Tennessee vs Georgia

For Tennessee coach Jeremy Pruitt, this isn’t a bad situation. A loss to the #3 team in the country would show Tennessee has work to do, but doesn’t mean they are a bad team. But a win would set him up as a legend in Knoxville. Tennessee has the nation’s longest winning streak at 8 games but has lost 3 in a row to Georgia and is 2-8 in their last 10.

Miami vs Clemson

Miami has not been “The U” in a very long time. No swagger, no real national relevance. A lot of that is the result of bad coaching and bad quarterback play. Well, here we go, Saturday night on the road against the class of the conference.

D’Eriq King, who transferred from Houston might be the best QB Miami has had in over a decade and head coach Manny Diaz, who went 6-7 in his first year, has a major opportunity for a program-changing win. The spotlight is squarely on these two to have the world scream “The U is back!”.

6 People in Sports Who Became Politicians

 

STICK TO SPORTS! Unless you are directly involved in sports and politics, as a handful of people are.

There are many people that have been involved with both, but I wanted to point out a small group of well-known athletes, coaches, and Hall of Famers who have held office following a sports career or cameo.

Tommy Tuberville (college football coach)

Tommy Tuberville is a former, long-time college football head coach. He compiled a 159-99 career record at Ole Miss, Auburn, Texas Tech, and Cincinnati. His biggest success was a 13-0 season at Auburn in 2004, but because of how the old BCS system worked, they did not play for the championship.

After getting fired by Cincinnati, following a 4-8 season in 2016, Tuberville transitioned from football to politics.

Tuberville is representing the Republican Party in the race for US Senate in Alabama. Tuberville has a big supporter in Donald Trump and is battling Democrat Doug Jones.

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Bill Bradley (NY Knicks) 

Bill Bradley is a legend. He is a member of the basketball Hall of Fame, College basketball Hall of Fame, Olympic Gold medal winner (1964), and 2x NBA champion with the New York Knicks (1970, 1973). Considering the Knicks only have 2 championships, that’s a big accomplishment!

Following his career, Bradley, who attended Princeton, returned to New Jersey as US Senator from 1979-1997.

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Anthony Gonzalez (football player)

In the 2007 BCS National Championship Game, Ohio State lost 41-14 to Florida. In that game, WR Anthony Gonzalez led Ohio State with 2 catches, for 11 years. That season, he had 51 catches for 734 yards and 8 TDs, and finished his career with 13 TD catches in three seasons playing for Ohio State.

He only caught 7 TDs in the NFL (first and second seasons) after the Indianapolis Colts drafted him #32 in the first round 2007 Draft. His career was derailed by injuries.

Now, with his football career long behind him, Gonzalez is Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Ohio’s 16th district.

Gonzalez’s (arguably) most memorable moment (certainly his first) with the Buckeyes came in 2005 against Michigan, when he made “the catch”.

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Kevin Johnson (Phoenix Suns)

Kevin Johnson is a former Phoenix Suns legend. He was always under-appreciated throughout his NBA career. Johnson made 3 All Star teams, named All-NBA 5x, Most Improved Player in 1988-89, and had 4 straight seasons of 20+ ppg, 10+ apg, Johnson saved basketball in Sacramento.

Keeping the Kings in Sacramento and building the Golden 1 Center could have happened without Ranadive – it almost did – but it would not have happened without Mayor Kevin Johnson and former NBA Commissioner David Stern. It was Johnson and Stern – and they alone – who were indispensable in the years-long saga resulting in the new arena.
Read more here: https://www.sacbee.com/news/local/news-columns-blogs/marcos-breton/article110479617.html#storylink=cpy

Johnson served in office from 2008-2016.

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Steve Largent (Seattle Seahawks)

Largent is a Football Hall of Fame and 7x NFL Pro Bowler. His #80 is retired by the Seattle Seahawks and he is among the best players in the franchise’s history. Largent played with Seahawks from 1976-1989.

Following his retirement, he went into politics and was a member of US House of Representatives from Oklahoma’s 1st district from 1994-2002.

Check out the hit Largent delivers here. After an interception, Largent makes a tackle, forces a fumble, stares down the defender, and recovers the fumble himself.

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Kane (WWE)

Those into wrestling, are familiar with the “Big Red Machine” Kane. Kane is a former 2-time world heavyweight champion and the current Mayor of Knox County in Tennessee.

Phrased another way – the Mayor of Knox County once threw a lighter onto a casket that his “brother” was in, lighting him on fire.

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BONUS – Donald Trump (WWE)

This one is a fun bonus. Obviously Trump was never an athlete or coach, but he is a member of the WWE Hall of Fame. In 2007, at Wrestlemania 23, Trump was stunned. Not figuratively, literally.

How can anyone not love Stone Cold Steve Austin?

2020 MLB Playoffs – Off the Schneid

 

Off the schneid means to snap a losing streak. Let’s take a look at this phrase as it relates to the 2020 Major League Baseball Playoffs.

Cincinnati Reds vs Atlanta Braves

Something has got to give in the ultimate “get off the schneid series” when the Reds face the Braves in the NL Wild Card round.

Reds last playoff series win came in 1995 (swept Dodgers) and their current streak of 4 straight series losses began with a sweep in the ‘95 NLCS to the Braves. 

This is the Reds 4th playoff appearance since 1995.

• 2010 – returned after a 14 year absence. In Game 1 vs the Phillies, Roy Halladay threw a no hitter and the Phillies would go on to sweep the Reds.
• 2012 – Reds went to San Francisco, and won games 1 and 2 vs the Giants. Needing 1 win in 3 home games, the Reds failed to capitalize and lost the series 3-2.
• 2013 – Reds lost the one game Wild Card round to the Pirates.

From 1991-2005, the Braves won the NL East 14 times in 15 years, and won it 11 straight times from 1995-2005. During that incredible run, they won just 1 World Series in 5 appearances – that came in 1995, after beating the Reds in the NLCS.

However, recently the Braves have lost 10 straight playoff series, with their last win coming all the way back in 2001.

Other teams looking to get off the schneid

Minnesota Twins – Since 1991, Twins have won just 1 playoff series and have lost 16 playoff games in a row (dating back to 2004). Their last series win was 2002.

Oakland Athletics – 6 straight series losses (dating back to 2006)

Chicago White Sox – last playoff series win was 2005 World Series (one appearance since)

Cleveland Indians – 71 year World Series drought (1948)

Milwaukee Brewers and San Diego Padres – 51 year World Series drought (never won)

Los Angeles Dodgers – 31 year World Series win drought (1988)

Teams who got off the schneid by ending long playoff droughts

• Miami Marlins – 16 years (2003)
• San Diego Padres – 13 years (2006)
• Chicago White Sox – 11 years (2008)
• Cincinnati Reds – 6 years (2013)

Teams still on the schneid (active playoff droughts)

• Seattle Mariners – 19 years (2001)
• Philadelphia Phillies – 9 years (2011)

2020 NBA Finals: History of Lakers vs Heat

 

 2020 NBA Finals will feature a first time matchup between the Los Angeles Lakers vs Miami Heat.

Despite never facing each other in the Finals, there is a ton of history between these two franchises. Lakers are 37-27 all-time vs Heat

Lebron James

For the 9th time in the last 10 years, Lebron James is in the NBA Finals. It’s his 10th overall (3-6 record) appearance in 17 seasons.

Lebron appeared in the Finals for 4 straight years from 2011-2014 with the Miami Heat, winning his first championship in 2012 and a second one in 2013.

After missing the playoffs in 2019 (for just the third time in his career), he returns to the Finals with his third different team.

Pat Riley

Lakers – Riley won an NBA title in 1972 as a player for the Lakers and was an assistant coach for the 1980 championship team. He was the head coach for 4 championships in the ’80s – 1982 1985, 1987, 1988.

Heat – Coached Miami to the franchise’s first NBA title in 2006, with Dwyane Wade and Shaq. As an executive, he was the architect of the “Big Three” featuring Lebron pairing up with Wade and Chris Bosh and winning 2 more titles. In total, Riley had been part of all 6 Heat Finals teams.

Kobe’s Presence

Kobe and Lebron overlapped in the NBA for 13 seasons and never faced each other in the Finals even though they were in opposite conferences. At least one them reached the Finals in 11 of 13 seasons.

Other Storylines

Both Lakers and Heat missed the playoffs in 2019.

As many hoped, 2020 Finals features Antetokounmpo vs Leonard (Kostas vs Meyers, not Giannis vs Kawhi).

The most recent #1 overall pick to win an NBA Finals is Andrew Bogut, who was drafted in 2005 and won in 2015. Anthony Davis (#1 in 2012) has a chance to change that.

Lebron vs Iggy part 5. 2015-2018 saw Cavs vs Warriors four straight times, which included Lebron vs Andre Iguodala 4 straight times. Now, this will be the 5th time they are opposing each other.

Iguodala or the Heat have made each of the last 10 Finals.

Danny Green is facing the Heat in the Finals for the third time in his career. With the Spurs, he lost in 2013 and won in 2014 (against Lebron).

Dion Waiters played 123 games (starting 101) in 3+ seasons with the Heat, before being released earlier this season. He was signed by the Lakers before the shutdown of the regular season and has played 38 minutes in the playoffs.

Heat forward Jae Crowder was traded from the Mavs to the Celtics in 2014 for current Lakers guard Rajon Rondo.

Lakers coach Frank Vogel, who previously coached the Indiana Pacers, is 0-3 all-time vs Heat in playoff series.

Big Blue Nation – Anthony Davis and Rajon Rondo battle Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro in the matchup of Kentucky Wildcats alums.

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Shaq trade

Heat won their first NBA title in 2006, after acquiring Shaquille O’Neal from the Lakers in the summer of 2004. Heat traded young rising stars Caron Butler and Lamar Odom, plus Brian Grant and a future first round pick (Jordan Farmar in 2006) for Shaq.

For the Heat, the Shaq and Wade duo was a huge success because they won the NBA title. Lakers would go on to win two more without him in 2009 and 2010.

As a 37 year old, Shaq join Lebron in Cleveland in 2009-10, but they were unable to reach the Final together. His final NBA season was 2010-11 as a member of the Celtics, where his final game was against Lebron and the Heat (en route to them making the NBA Finals).

NFL Week 2 – Party Like It’s 2016

 

2020 has been a weird year. So let’s throw it back to 2016, where most of the NFL week 2 games have some type of connection.

Seahawks vs Patriots
2/7/2016 – New Patriots QB Cam Newton and Seahawks TE Greg Olsen played together with the Panthers in Super Bowl 50. Olsen and Newton were teammates in Carolina from 2011-2019.

Broncos vs Steelers
1/17/2016 – Speaking of the Panthers, that duo above lost to the Broncos, who beat the Steelers 23-16 in the Divisional Round. Denver had a 13 play drive in almost 7 minutes towards the end of the game, that was capped off by a CJ Anderson touchdown run.

Eagles vs Rams
4/28/2016 – Rams drafted Jared Goff #1 overall in the Draft. Eagles draft Carson Wentz #2 overall.

Cowboys vs Falcons
Dallas finished the 2016 season with the best record in the NFC and Atlanta finished #2 in the NFC. Dak Prescott won 2016 Rookie of the Year and Matt Ryan won 2016 regular season MVP.

Jets vs 49ers
12/11/2016 – Jets won 23-17 in overtime (1 of 3 wins all-time vs SF – 3-10). RB Bilal Powell ran for 145 yards, including a 19 yard touchdown in overtime to win the game. QB Bryce Petty started for the Jets and won his only career start (1-6). Colin Kaepernick started at QB for the 49ers (one of the final starts of his career) and RB Carlos Hyde ran for 193 yards. 49ers were coached by Chip Kelly, who would be fired after one 2-14 season.

Colts vs Vikings
12/18/2016 – Vikings lost 34-6 in Adrian Peterson’s Vikings finale. Peterson tore his meniscus during week 2, and played just 3 games in 2016, including this one. He returned just so he could get his final carries in purple and final ovation in Minneapolis. AP ran the ball 6 times for 22 yards. 

Raiders vs Saints
9/11/2016 – Raiders shocked the Saints 35-34 in a week 1 upset, when Derek Carr completed a pass to Michael Crabtree to convert game-winning two point conversation. 2016 season was the end of the Raiders’ 13 year playoff drought.

Dolphins vs Bills
12/26/2016 – Bills fired Rex Ryan, who went 15-16 in two seasons. Two days earlier, Bills lost to the Dolphins 34-31 in overtime on Christmas Eve in Ryan’s final game as a head coach.

Football Team vs Cardinals
12/4/2016 – RB David Johnson ran for 84 yards and a TD and had 91 yards receiving and a TD. 2016 was Johnson’s last great NFL season. Carson Palmer threw for 300 yards, 3 TD and Cardinals won 31-23.

Browns vs Bengals
9/17/2016 – Ohio State beat Oklahoma 45-24. OU QB Baker Mayfield struggled, completing 17-32 passes for 226 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT. Bengals rookie QB Joe Burrow was a red-shirt freshman on Ohio State, backing up JT Barrett.

Bears vs Giants
11/10/2016 – Daniel Jones and Duke beat Mitchell Trubisky and UNC. Coming into this game, Duke was 3-6 and 0-5 in the ACC, while Carolina was ranked #17 so this was a big upset for Jones and Duke. Jones completed 22-34 passes for 240 yards and a TD, plus 2 TDs rushing and 94 yards on the ground. Trubisky completed 24-33 passes for 297 yards, 3 TD and 2 INT

Texans vs Ravens
10/1/2016 – #5 Clemson beat #3 Louisville 42-36 in a primetime classic. Watson threw for 5 TDs (plus 3 INTs), threw for 300 yards and ran for 91 yards. Jackson ran for 162 yards and 2 TD and threw for 296 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT.

12/10/2016 – Lamar Jackson won the Heisman Trophy over Watson. Jackson received 526 first place votes and 2,144 points total. Watson received 269 first place votes and 1,524 points total.

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More on NFL Week 2 (non-2016 notes)

Patriots vs Seahawks – Rematch of Super Bowl XLIX. After Bill Parcells led the Patriots to the Super Bowl in 1996 and before Bill Belichick took over as head coach in 2000, Pete Carroll coached the Pats from 1997-1999, compiling a 27-21 record, going 1-2 in the playoffs.

Texans vs Ravens – Deshaun Watson faced Lamar Jackson for the first time in an instant classic on Saturday Night primetime during week 5. Both teams were 4-0, with Louisville ranked #3 and Clemson ranked #5.Watson threw 2 TDs in the final few minutes of the game. He completed 20-31 passes, 306 yards, threw 5 TDs and 3 INT and ran for 91 yards.Jackson completed 27-44 passes, 295 yards, TD, INT and ran for 162 yards and 2 TDs. But at the end, Jackson came up just inches short on the final play of the game. 

The significance of this game is that Clemson ultimately played for the National Championship and beat Alabama. If they would have lost this game, it’s questionable how the season would have played out and if they would have made it.

 Eagles vs Rams – Before the 2016 Draft, Rams made a trade with the Titans and Eagles made a trade with the Browns. And those trades became so much bigger as they ultimately turned into 17 trades, involving 16 teams and 49 players across four different drafts (2016-2020). 

Vikings vs Colts – Colts have won 5 in a row vs Vikings. Last Minny win was 1997 in week 17 to clinch a playoff spot. Colts QB was current Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh and RB Marshall Faulk ran for over 100 yards and 2 touchdowns. Vikings Hall of Fame WR Cris Carter caught 5 passes, 3 of which were touchdowns from QB Randall Cunningham.

49ers vs Jets – SF is 10-3 all-time vs Jets and 7-1 on the road. The one road loss came in 2004, when Chad Pennington and Curtis Martin led the Jets past the Tim Rattay-led Niners. 49ers finished that season 2-14 and would draft QB Alex Smith #1 overall in the 2005 Draft.

Raiders vs Saints – Saints defensive coordinator Dennis Allen was 8-28 as Raiders head coach between 2012-2014. That includes an 0-4 record in 2014 during Derek Carr’s rookie season, in which he started those first 4 games.

Chargers vs Chiefs – KC has won 11 of 12. The one loss was in 2018, a Thursday night win for Chargers on the road to clinch a playoff spot. A late two-point conversion sealed the win for Chargers.

Why Notre Dame Football Should Never Join a Conference

 he 2020 college football season is going to be weird, but than again so is everything in 2020.

No Big Ten or PAC-12 this fall is one thing, but Notre Dame playing in a conference is another.

In 2020 only, Notre Dame is playing exclusively an ACC schedule and they will be considered an honorary member, who has a chance to play in the ACC Championship Game in 2020.

But don’t get used to this. Irish won’t be in ACC beyond this season nor should they be.

I’m sick of the “Notre Dame should join a conference” conversation. Why should they? College football is a business and Notre Dame is a very successful business. They have their own TV deal (NBC), they certainly bring in plenty of revenue, and they can build the schedule as they see fit.

From an entertainment standpoint, Notre Dame annually plays one of the toughest schedules in the country. If you want, they can play an ACC schedule exclusively, but guess what? They’ll dominate the ACC because lately, it’s been bad.

Notre Dame would play 8 (mostly inferior) ACC teams. When the Irish went 12-0 in 2012 and 2018, they beat 10 power 5 schools, en route to the Championship Game/Playoffs.

Who wants to see Notre Dame vs Duke, Georgia Tech, Wake Forest, when you can instead get Notre Dame vs USC, Stanford, Texas, Michigan, Michigan State, Wisconsin.

The other argument for them to join a conference is that they only play 12 games without a conference championship game, which gives them an unfair advantage for the playoffs. Well, Alabama in 2018 and Ohio State in 2017 both made the playoffs with 1-loss and no conference championship victory. Notre Dame had 0 losses and no conference championship victory. What’s the issue, other than jealousy and hatred?

Notre Dame should never join a conference. They should never apologize for their independence, because they are winning in the game of college football. They play the most must-see games and rake in the money. Why change that?

QB Rivalry – Tom Brady vs Drew Brees

 

Tom Brady and Drew Brees are both quarterback legends. Their history against each other is not that lengthy, which is what makes it special. Everytime these two face each other, it feels fresh and unique.

In 8 all-time matchups, Brees is 5-3 against Brady.

Sunday’s NFC Divisional Round playoff game represents the 9th head-to-head matchup and perhaps the final chapter of this rivalry.

Chapter 1 – Michigan vs Purdue

Before Brady was a 6th round pick in the 2000 Draft and Brees was a second round pick in 2001, they overlapped in college in 1998 and 1999. Michigan only played Purdue during the 1999 season.

10/2/1999 – Michigan won 38-12

#4 ranked Michigan snapped Purdue’s 10 game winning streak.

• Brady – 15-25, 250 yards, 2 TD
• Brees – 20-49, 293 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT

Chapter 2 – Patriots vs Chargers

9/29/2002 – Chargers won 21-14

2002 season was the only time the Patriots did not make the playoffs with Brady as the full-time starter (he was injured in 2008). 2002 season was also Brees’ first year as the full-time starter for Chargers. Chargers got off to a 4-0 season thanks to 217 yards rushing from LaDanian Tomlinson.

• Brady – 36-53, 353 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT
• Brees – 10-18, 104 yards, 1 TD

10/2/2005 – Chargers won 41-17

This was an absolutely stunning loss for the Patriots, who had won 21 consecutive games at home. Chargers outscored Patriots 24-0 in the second half.

• Brady 19-32, 224 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT
• Brees 19-24, 248 yards, 2 TD

Chapter 3 – Patriots vs Saints

11/30/2009 – Saints won 38-17

Brees’ first start against Brady as a Saint came the year the Saints won the Super Bowl. This was a rare blowout loss for a Brady-led team. 2009 is also the last time Brady played in New Orleans.

• Brady – 21-36, 237 yards, 0 TD, 2 INT
• Brees – 18-23, 371 yards, 5 TD

10/13/2013 – Patriots win 30-27

Brady led a 70 yard drive in the final minute of the game that ended with a game-winning 17 yard touchdown pass to WR Kenbrell Thompkins with :5 seconds remaining.

• Brady – 25-43, 269 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT
• Brees – 17-36, 236 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT

9/17/2017 – Patriots won 36-20

After the Patriots lost week 1 to the Chiefs, they came out firing and avoided an 0-2 start….which is exactly what the Saints did. Despite the 0-2 start, New Orleans would win 11 of their next 14 to win the NFC South.

• Brady – 30-39, 447 yards, 3 TD
• Brees – 27-45, 356 yards, 2 TD

Chapter 4 – Bucs vs Saints

After 20 years in New England, Brady is now a Buccaneer and will make his debut against Brees and the Saints in a game featuring the two guys listed #1 and #2 on the all-time passing list.

9/13/2020 – Brady loses Bucs debut

This was the first game in NFL history with two QBs over 41 years old.

Saints beat the Bucs 34-23 in week 1 of the 2020. In his Tampa debut, Brady threw 2 touchdowns and 2 interceptions, one of which the Saints defense returned for a touchdown.

11/8/2020 – Brees and Saints embarrass Brady and Bucs

This would be the second game in NFL history with two QBs over 41 years old.

Brees completed 26-32 passes and threw 4 touchdowns, while Tom Brady threw 3 interceptions in a rough 38-3 loss on Sunday Night Football.

Chapter 5 – 2021 Playoffs

1/17/2021 – The Final Chapter?

After going 0-2 during the 2020 regular season, Brady, who leads the NFL all-time in pretty much every category in the playoffs, looks for revenge against Brees. There are rumors that Brees will retire, so could this be his final game?

Brees and Brady represent 2 of 3 QBs all-time to win a playoff game over the age of 40 (Brett Favre is the other). This game will be the first ever between QBs over 40 in the playoffs.

Brady previously won Super Bowl XXXVI in 2002 in New Orleans. He is 2-0 in his playoff career against the NFC South, with Super Bowl wins over the Panthers (XXXVIII) and Falcons (LI).