#Postseason 2018

[whirlpool-blogs]

Matthew Tkachuk Daddy Issues primer

1) https://floridahockeynow.com/keith-tkachuk-rips-the-florida-panthers-calls-them-a-soft-team/

“This is do-or-die for the Panthers right now,’’ Keith told First Up with Korolnek & Colaiacovo. “I watched them the other night and I know I am staying at Brady’s house and Brady’s team played really well. They have some jam and, you know, I am a little disappointed with the Panthers.

“They are a soft team and they are getting everything they deserve right now.” To continue on that point, Keith Tkachuk said for the Panthers to snap their losing streak in Toronto, they need to bring a little more toughness to their game.

“Instead of trying to get autographs on the ice from Matthews and Marner,” he said, “they probably should check them a little harder. Whatever it is, it is disappointing. I know I sound like a frustrated person, but I know every time I come and watch Ottawa, they may not be the most talented team but they’re going to play hard. Perhaps Florida could take a page out of their book.”

2) https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/senators-brady-wins-tkachuk-battle-bettman-hints-lebreton-flats-a-little-small/

There was a “Brady is Better” chant at a game when the two brothers played each other, and Keith was at that game. Some speculate that Keith started it.

3) https://www.bladeofsteel.com/Keith-Tkachuk-explains-why-he-would-not-throw-his-hat-for-his-son-hat-trick-goal-126638

Keith refusing to throw his hat for Matthew’s hat trick, even when Taryn and Brady were also at that game.

4) https://theathletic.com/351173/2018/05/13/in-the-tkachuk-family-its-chantal-who-is-the-captain-of-the-house/

[On the family chalkboard in the kitchen] “It’s always like, ‘Happy birthday’ or ‘Welcome home, Brady!’ or ‘Can’t wait for you to leave, Matthew,’” said a chuckling Keith Tkachuk.

xxx

[A little insight into Matthew being the intense one and Brady being easier to get along with]

It’s an interesting snapshot because Matthew, a fiery competitor who was twice suspended by the NHL last season, is smiling, while Brady, a happy-go-lucky personality, is scowling.

“This picture is great because now it’s the opposite,” Keith said.

“That’s so true, so true,” Chantal said.

xxx

Chantal reads everything about her boys, too, noting that she is a subscriber to The Athletic.

“I like it,” she said.

“Except when they gave Brady a bad draft rating,” Keith said.

xxx

Keith then reminded his kids, “You guys better get your butts to the store and get some cards for your mom.”

“Actually, Matthew bought me a Mother’s Day gift this year,” she said.

“He had to have gotten you something that benefited him,” Keith responded. “What did he buy you, like eight beers or something?”

“No, Lululemon shoes,” Chantal answered. “He’s a great gift giver now that he has his own money.”

“It’s the least I could do,” Matthew said.

5) https://theathletic.com/229963/2018/02/02/he-has-that-face-you-just-want-to-punch-matthew-tkachuk-isnt-about-to-change-the-way-he-plays/

“He has that face you just want to punch, according to other players,” said his father Keith.

“I’m sure if I played against him, I’d go after him, too.”

“This kid, I find a lot of flaws in his game because I’m his dad, and that’s what dads do.”

“I love the fact that he plays with an edge,” said Dad. “I told him that I’d rather see him sit out a game for being too aggressive than sit out a game because he’s soft.”

6) https://www.bardown.com/brady-matthew-tkachuk-s-parents-explain-why-they-re-happy-their-kids-aren-t-in-the-same-conference-1.1121784

Chantal, by the way, told me she is happy Matthew and Brady are not in the same conference. Keith said: “I’m glad too. I don’t trust Matthew.”

7) https://theathletic.com/1984477/2020/08/10/its-distinctly-matthew-tkachuks-postseason-presence-drawing-rave-reviews/

“Keith wanted Matthew’s coaches to push him as hard they could. He would tell me, ‘You can be more demanding,'” said Granato. “It’s delicate because, as a coach, you have to consider how hard you can push a guy. And you love the guys you can push harder. Those are the guys you fall in love with as a coach. With Matthew? There was no limit.”

8) https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/tkachuk-brothers-vibrant-personalities-stem-from-colourful-st-louis-roots/

Keith said he remembered watching Matthew on the After Hours segment on Hockey Night in Canada as a rookie, conducting the whole interview with his head down.

“I said, ‘What are you doing? Get your head up and talk,’” said Keith.

“But now it’s like this (as he snaps his fingers).

“I watched Matthew interviewed last night and he was pretty good. He adds some normal stuff to it that people like. It’s not about the same answers. He does a good job.”

9) https://theathletic.com/4503016/2023/05/10/matthew-tkachuk-florida-panthers-nhl-playoffs/

From his father, Keith Tkachuk, he learned to accept responsibility: "You didn't win? Play better."

10) https://www.tumblr.com/matthewtkafuck/190505229656?source=share

Keith: “Matthew’s in love, but with himself.”

11) https://www.tumblr.com/raliegh/680996428961726464/lettucemakar-matthew-daddy-issues-tkachuk?source=share

Q: "What sort of text message do you think you'll get after getting five points against the team your dad works for?"

MT: "Um, I'm not sure, I'm sure he would have, I don't know maybe I'm putting words in his mouth--I'm not even going to say it, what I was about to--but he probably wanted it to be an OT game but for us to play well. Um, I don't know who he wanted to win the OT game but uh, no he, he, it doesn't matter what team he works for but he's obviously my [and] my brother's biggest fan and great mentor and obviously not only him but my linemates and teammates know how much I want to win against those guys, hometown team lots of people watching, same as, we got a lot of guys from Toronto, its like when we go to Toronto we want to win that game for the guys that are from there, tons of people watching so, I don't know exactly what he'll text me. Maybe he went to bed early and I won't even get a text I don't know."

[cellythefloshie]

;; A Seasons End Chapter One of Cool for the Summer

Table of Contents Playlist «« 🤍 »» Chapter Two

Summary: The Carolina Hurricane's season comes to an unexpected end as the New York Rangers move on to the Eastern Conference Finals and when star forward Andrei Svechnikov cannot return home for the offseason he is left to determine where exactly he will be spending his summer. TW: Mentions of the international conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Word Count: 1k+

Game 7. It was the final game played in the series that would send the Carolina Hurricanes to the Eastern Conference Finals for the second time since Andrei Svechnikov was drafted in 2018. It was a game that the team should have laid it out on the line - his only contribution? A 2-minute penalty for tripping against Barclay Goodrow. And while the Hurricanes killed the penalty, the Rangers went on to win the series in a winner-takes-all game. The score was 2-6, a complete and utter blowout of a game in the series after 6 games with nothing more than a 3-goal differential. 

It left a sour taste in the back of his mouth as he walked back into the locker room with his head hanging low on his shoulders. Andrei didn’t look up, not once, as he stripped off his gear for the last time that season. He didn’t hear the last, tired speech given by Rob as he commended the team for their season. Nor did he hear the murmurs between his teammates as they shared brief sentiments on their way out the door. One by one, they left him until he was the only one to remain. 

Andrei sat in the silence, his head in his calloused palms as a heavy breath trembled through him. For the first time in months, he could feel the ach of his tired body, and it brewed with his disappointment that his season was over. There was nothing to look forward to now except 3 things: Exit interviews, training to be better come the next season and going home. 

It had taken the Hurricanes organization 6 days to close out their exit interviews. One by one, they face management and the media, all singing the same tune. This was not how they wanted their season to end. They wanted to be the ones to face the Tampa Bay Lightning in the Eastern Conference Final. They wanted to go on to play the champions of the West for the Stanley Cup, but they came up short. Every one of them expressed their own shortcomings and held themselves accountable, including Andrei. It was his fourth playoff appearance, but it had been the first time injuries hadn’t kept him from playing every game. Yet, he failed to bring his regular-season success into the postseason with him. So he did the only thing he could do, promise that he would come back next season and be better and with that, he was free to leave. 

With his bag packed, Andrei was ready to leave the city of Raleigh behind him. He couldn’t wait to return home, to see his family and to train with his brother, but the vibration of his phone in his pocket against his hip was insistent. It had been buzzing there all morning, through each of his interviews, and it had grown more frequent the more he ignored it. It must be important. 

Pausing out in the parking lot, Andrei eased two fingers into his pocket and pressed them firmly to his phone screen. With the pressure, he guided the phone from his pocket and into his grasp. It continued to vibrate with urgency even as he held it, and when he saw just who the messages were from, he was left sighing. It was his mother. 

There was no one Andrei loved more than his mother, but he didn’t like what she had to say. Ever since the end of game 7, she had been messaging him to tell him one thing: Do not go home, Andrei. It was the last thing he had wanted to hear, even if it was the reality of it all. With Russia’s military advancement in Ukraine, they had fallen under heavy scrutiny. Travel into the country was heavily restricted - even if he could book a flight to a nearby country with the intention of making the drive home there - there was no telling if he could return to America come the beginning of the next season. And so, he would heed his mother’s cautious warning. He would not go home to Russia, but where would he go?

The clamour of the door opening and closing shut behind him broke Andrei’s attention from his phone screen, and from his bag that he had dropped down to his feet. Behind him, rookie Seth Jarvis had ended his season by walking out the doors. However, one could argue it had ended the moment he had taken a bad hit from Trouba after playing nothing more than two minutes in what would be their final game of the season. The kid had been concussed so badly that he was still feeling the after-effects of the hit seven days later - and yet he was still wearing a smile as his dark eyes had come to find Andrei in the parking lot. 

“You got a ride coming?” Andrei spoke slowly, his hand raising up to block the sun from his eyes as he called out for his teammate. There was no way he was driving when his head was in such a state. 

“Taxi,” Seth answered simply, carefully struggling his shoulders as he tossed a single bag over it. 

“No, no, my car. Get in,” Andrei pointed back with his thumb back towards his sports car that was parked in the lot. It wasn’t the most practical of things when you were trying to lug your equipment around, but Andrei loved the exhilaration and sex appeal of a fast car. 

“You sure?” Seth perked up in place, but it didn’t take much more than a wave before the rookie was falling into stride. 

The hollow shut of the door had Andrei melting into his seat, his head leaning back against the leather seat as he let out a sigh. “Home?” “Airport,” Seth corrected, his tone jovial. 

Andrei’s heart panged with jealousy. The kid was getting to fly off, while he was still unsure of where his summer would take him. “Big vacation?”

Andrei did his best to keep the casual conversation as he began the drive and listened to Seth as he talked about going home to Winnipeg to spend the summer with his parents. But his envy was clearly written all across his features as his face fell into a frown he couldn’t contain, and Seth noticed. 

“You don’t get to go home, do you?” Seth spoke slowly, his tone a little more concerned than a guy would have liked to let on. But the whole world knew of the conflict and the strain it was putting on the players from those regions. 

“No,” Andrei spoke bluntly, his gaze cast out the driver’s side window. It was the last thing he wanted to talk about. 

“I’m sorry man-” Seth sighed out, but then he was jolting in his seat. An idea had struck him like a bolt of lightning. “Your brother, he plays in Winnipeg!” He was almost laughing, as if he had just come up with the most brilliant solution to Andrei’s problems. “Catch the flight with me, hell, you can stay with me, if you want, and spend the summer in Winnipeg with your family.”

Andrei eased his foot onto the brake as he came to a red light, his head turning to look at Jarvis as he was beaming from the passenger’s side. He was right. Evgeny played for Winnipeg - and while he was at the end of his contract, he and his girlfriend were more than likely stuck in a very similar situation as himself. 

As the light went green, Andrei’s foot remained on the brakes, causing a symphony of honking behind him, but he was in no rush. Not when his plans were so quickly changing. “In Winnipeg, I can train?” Andrei spoke slowly. 

“Train, travel, whatever you want. It’s a great city, really.”

But Andrei had already heard everything he needed to hear, his foot easing off the brake and turning toward his apartment. They would make one quick stop before the airport. He needed to pick up his bags. In the small Canadian city, he would have no distractions beyond those he would allow: Seth and his family. Then, she could focus on doing the one thing that had been on his mind since the final seconds of game 7 against the New York Rangers. He could train and become the player the team needed him to be, even if that meant having to spend the summer in Winnipeg. 

Taglist: @starshine-hockey-girl , @wingedwheelprxncess , @mp0625 , @misunderstoodwerewolf , @callsign-denmark , @puckmaidens , @xciciix , @cixrosie

[bongaboi]

UConn: 2024-25 NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Champions

TAMPA, Fla. -- It has been a nine-year wait for UConn to get its 12th national championship. But in a lot of ways, it came at exactly the right time.

The No. 2-seeded Huskies finished their run through three No. 1 seeds, culminating in an 82-59 victory over South Carolina in the NCAA final on Sunday to claim a title that perhaps means a little more because of the journey the program and senior star Paige Bueckers has been on to get it.

After winning four championships in a row from 2013 to 2016 behind superstar Breanna Stewart, the Huskies hit a series of roadblocks with tough losses and injury heartbreaks.

But Sunday, the Huskies moved to the top of the women's basketball world again, sending Bueckers -- who is expected to be the WNBA's No. 1 draft pick on April 14 -- out with her first national championship.

A tearful Bueckers buried her face in coach Geno Auriemma's shoulder as they hugged on the sideline when she exited the game with just over a minute left, mission at last accomplished.

With guards Bueckers and Azzi Fudd, who missed most of last season with a knee injury, healthy at the same time, and the top freshman in the nation in forward Sarah Strong, UConn looked like so many of its championship teams of old. Not just the best team, but the team that also played the best.

Fudd and Strong both finished with 24 points, and Bueckers had 17. Freshman Joyce Edwards and sophomore Tessa Johnson led South Carolina with 10 points each as the Gamecocks fell short of repeating as national champions and finished 35-4.

UConn now has 12 wins in the Final Four by 20 or more points. All other teams in Division I women's history have 11 combined.

Bueckers was asked before Sunday's game how she would like to be remembered at UConn.

"As a great teammate, a great leader. I think those are the two most important things to me, just being somebody that people love to play with, make their teammates better, wears a UConn jersey with pride," she said.

Now, she also will be remembered as a national champion. Admittedly, there were points in her career where it didn't seem that would happen. UConn's disappointments go back, in fact, to the end of their 111-game winning streak at the Final Four in Dallas in 2017. The Huskies were defeated on a buzzer-beater in overtime in the national semifinals by Mississippi State.

Then in 2018, 2019, 2021 and 2024, the Huskies also lost in the national semifinals. They fell in the 2022 national championship game to South Carolina, and missed the 2023 Final Four -- the only time since an Elite Eight loss in 2007 that the Huskies have not made the season's final weekend. Bueckers missed the 2022-23 season with a knee injury.

With Fudd out last season, the Huskies went down to the wire with Iowa in the national semifinals, but lost 71-69. That set up a lot of pressure on Bueckers and the Huskies to make their dreams come true this year.

UConn wasn't perfect this season, as has been the case with six former UConn championship teams. But after an 80-76 loss at Tennessee on Feb. 6, the Huskies didn't lose another game. They won the Big East regular-season and tournament titles, then dominated their way through the NCAA tournament (including wins over 1-seeds USC, UCLA and South Carolina) to finish 37-3.

Sunday, the Huskies took a 19-14 lead after a first quarter that featured a very fast pace and some intense defense inside from UConn. The Huskies set the tone by shooting 52.9% from the field in the opening period, while holding the Gamecocks to 40%. Unlike UCLA in its semifinal loss to UConn, South Carolina was working the ball into the spots it wanted, but didn't finish well.

Strong's emphatic block of a Raven Johnson layup attempt at the 9:04 mark of the second quarter sent a message, as did her play throughout her first postseason.

Strong set a record for points by a freshman in a single NCAA tournament with 114, passing Tennessee's Tamika Catchings, who had 111 in 1998. That year, incidentally, Strong's mother, Allison Feaster, led Harvard as a No. 16 seed past No. 1 Stanford in the NCAA tournament. Feaster went on to a 10-season career in the WNBA, where her daughter will be headed in a few years.

Strong is also the first player (regardless of class) to have at least 100 points, 25 assists and 10 blocks in a single NCAA tournament since blocks became an official stat in 1988.

South Carolina coach Dawn Staley predicted on Saturday that over the next few years, Strong might end up as the best Huskies player of all. Which is saying a ton considering UConn boasts former players such as Stewart, Diana Taurasi, Swin Cash and two of the most recent Naismith Hall of Fame inductees, Maya Moore and Sue Bird, who were honored at Sunday's game.

UConn, which entered Sunday averaging 8.7 3-pointers per game, had just one in the first half, but that one shot -- by Ashlynn Shade from the left corner with nine seconds left -- gave the Huskies some momentum going into halftime up 36-26.

The Huskies continued to control the game throughout the second half. UConn is now 91-2 when leading by double digits at halftime in the NCAA tournament. The two losses were the 2001 national semifinal (up 12 at the half), when it lost to eventual champion Notre Dame, and in the 1989 first round (up 10) against La Salle.

Auriemma was coaching in his first NCAA tournament in 1989, in his fourth season at UConn. The Huskies have now appeared in 36 NCAA tournaments and 24 Final Fours. Auriemma, who turned 71 in March, is the first coach to win a championship at age 70 or older in Division I women's or men's basketball.

He joked before the game that he thought about quitting multiple times during the season the past few years, but then would go to practice and always be drawn back in.

"I think there's a lot of people counting on me to keep doing what I'm doing at UConn -- all my team, all my staff," Auriemma said. "I think they're counting on me to keep going and keep impacting and keep doing what we do."

[zoeology31]

Decided to mess around on Baseball Reference the other day to practice my... data sifting skills, I guess? Anyway, this is an exercise to find every time Nick Castellanos of the Tigers/Cubs/Reds/Phillies has hit a drive into deep left field to make it a 4-0 ballgame.

As great as the extended "Castellanos has an Absol-like ability to homer when something unfortunate happens" meme is, I'm not compiling a list of all his home runs, there's 220 of those counting the postseason. Instead I'd like to find every career home run of his that fits the criteria of the original meme (deep left field, 4-0 ballgame). There's a couple video compilations out there that do this, but they're all a few years out of date and I'd like to look through the data myself to see if anything interesting was missed.

Unfortunately there's not a good way to search a baseball database via the score before or after a particular play, so I have to manually go through all 12 years of Castellanos's B-Ref game logs. Here's my heuristics for this process:

For a given season, sort the game logs by HR to reduce scrolling, since we only care about games he homered in.

Check the final score. If Castellanos's team scored less than 4 runs, no need to even check the box score.

Otherwise, click through and look at the linescore to see if Castellanos's team scored at least 4 runs before the other team scored any, thus enabling a midgame 4-0 score.

If so, scroll down to the play-by-play to find Castellanos's home run(s) and confirm the score and direction.

Here is an initial list of every home run hit by Castellanos to drive in the 4-0 run, even if the total runs scored on the play made the score greater than 4-0, in chronological order:

6/7/2014: 3rd inning solo homer, LF, 4-0.

7/30/2014: 1st inning 3-run homer, RF, 6-0.

4/10/2015: 5th inning 2-run homer, RF, 5-0.

7/22/2015: 3rd inning grand slam, LF-CF, 5-0.

8/19/2015: 3rd inning grand slam, LF, 7-0.

8/24/2015: 1st inning solo homer, LF, 4-0.

7/17/2017: 2nd inning 2-run homer, CF, 4-0.

9/8/2017: 3rd inning grand slam, CF-RF, 4-0.

6/16/2018: 5th inning 2-run homer, LF, 5-0.

8/30/2019: 2nd inning 2-run homer, LF, 5-0.

9/3/2019: 5th inning 3-run homer, RF, 5-0.

8/19/2020: 5th inning solo homer, LF, 4-0.

8/13/2021: 6th inning solo homer, LF, 4-0.

9/11/2021: 3rd inning 2-run homer, LF, 4-0.

6/28/2023: 2nd inning 3-run homer, LF, 5-0.

9/15/2023: 1st inning 3-run homer, LF, 4-0.

9/20/2023: 4th inning 2-run homer, RF, 4-0.

9/24/2023: 4th inning 2-run homer, LF, 4-0.

And narrowing down specifically to drives to deep left field to make it a 4-0 ballgame, we are left with:

6/7/2014: 3rd inning solo homer, LF, 4-0.

8/24/2015: 1st inning solo homer, LF, 4-0.

8/19/2020: 5th inning solo homer, LF, 4-0. (Bonus: the extremely normal call from the opposing broadcast)

8/13/2021: 6th inning solo homer, LF, 4-0.

9/11/2021: 3rd inning 2-run homer, LF, 4-0.

9/15/2023: 1st inning 3-run homer, LF, 4-0.

9/24/2023: 4th inning 2-run homer, LF, 4-0.

That's two with the Tigers, a nearly five-year gap between occurrences, three with the Reds, and two with the Phillies, for a total of seven times. Yes, he's done it four times in three full seasons since the initial meme incident, after only doing it twice in six full seasons before that.

There's no real rhyme or reason to this distribution; Castellanos has hit more home runs on a rate basis since 2020, but had a long enough career before that to accumulate more total home runs. Intuitively, factors like team quality and ballpark affect the frequency of opportunities to hit a 4-0 home run, but as we can see from the larger list above, Castellanos's overall homers to drive in the 4-0 run (18 total over 10 seasons) are distributed roughly equally throughout his career. Those homers have just happened to match the exact meme factors more frequently since 2020. Baseball magic?

Also of note, that first qualifying home run after the meme one happened the at-bat after Castellanos got plunked in the shoulder, and the second one was, as you can see, on the anniversary of 9/11. Featured on both those videos is the Reds play-by-play announcer who replaced Brennaman, John Sadak, aka the guy losing his mind on every Elly De La Cruz highlight video (here's some good examples). Blessing in disguise, honestly, he makes Reds games fun to tune into.

This is an Elly De La Cruz post now, actually. Watch those highlights. He's so cool. Baseball is the best.

Bonus: In his young career, De La Cruz has hit one (1) deep drive to make it a 4-0 ballgame, on 7/30/23, though it was to right field. As a switch-hitter who therefore bats lefty the majority of the time, he will homer to left field much less frequently than the righty Castellanos, but of course he'll do lots of other stuff too.

[dnowit41]

Dirk Nowitzki's journey from Germany to Dallas to the Hall of Fame

By Steve Aschburner

His shot became his signature, that signature became a statue. It’s planted there now for the long term, emblematic of Dirk Nowitzki himself, who came to the Dallas Mavericks a quarter century ago and never left.

Resplendent in white bronze, 24 feet high, over on the right wing of Victory Plaza outside the American Airlines Center, Nowitzki is immortalized in the shooting form that earned him so many of his 35,223 points (regular and postseason). It earned him a bevy of admirers, too, among peers and rivals like Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant and LeBron James who adopted the big German sharpshooter’s one-legged fadeaway as both a tactic and an homage.

“The Dirk,” as that shot has been dubbed, is here to stay. Both as a weapon – “the equivalent of what Abdul-Jabbar did with his sky hook,” one opposing coach said the other day, both awed and irritated by its effectiveness – and as a tribute, frozen in time, the distillation of 21 seasons and 1,667 games logged with the only NBA team for which he ever played.

One city, one franchise? Only Utah Hall of Famer John Stockton (1,686) ever played more.

It’s funny, though, how a player celebrated for staying planted in one place for more than two decades could have traveled so far and covered such ground in the process. It showed in his game, the way he developed, refined and tweaked his unique style until he had dragged the whole position with him.

“Watching him play, I remember thinking, he’s just getting better and better and better,” said Hall of Famer Kevin McHale, one of the NBA’s greatest power forwards. “And he really changed things around the way the position is played.”

It showed in Nowitzki’s influence, a European prospect who came over younger than most of the imports who preceded him and shined so brightly that, well before he was done, he was regarded as the best player ever from that continent. Fifty-one Most Valuable Player trophies had been handed out in NBA history before Nowitzki won the 52nd as the first Euro. Now guys from Greece and Serbia have taken home four of the past five.

“Every tall kid around the world saw Dirk,” Mavs owner Mark Cuban said, “and realized they could play basketball and not have to be a back-to-the-basket center. Dirk paved the way for players of any size to be multi-positional and have a variety of in-game skills.”

Certainly Nowitzki, 45, moved geographically in a career that spanned half his life, from Wurzburg, Germany, to Dallas and now to Springfield, Mass., where he will be inducted Aug. 12 into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame with the Class of 2023. He has been there once before, in 2018 when a pair of his point guards – Steve Nash and Jason Kidd – were both enshrined. This time, those two will be official Hall presenters for their tall teammate. Nowitzki’s guest list for the weekend – after wife Jessica and their kids Malaika (10), Max (8) and Morris (6) – ran “a couple hundred, I think” at least in invitees, if not attendees.

His speech is pretty much done. “It’s been fun,” Nowitzki told NBA.com recently by phone from Germany. “Really what you’re doing, you’re reflecting on the whole journey. Who’s meant the most, who’s done what. I’ve actually found it cool to sit down in the evening after everyone’s in bed and I sit here for an hour and think about that stuff.

“There will be a little nervousness. But I’m also going to enjoy standing up there and looking out at this amazing crowd of family and friends and great athletes. I’m going to try to enjoy it as much as I can.”

From Germany To Dallas

His father, Jörg-Werner, competed internationally in team handball. His mother Helga and his older sister Silke played basketball.

“Growing up I was always in gyms,” said Nowitzki, who mostly played handball and tennis. “I was tall, and I played basketball in school. I had a cousin who was with a club team, so I went one time to practice and I got hooked. I wasn’t very good but I could move pretty well for a big guy and I had decent touch for my size. It didn’t come that hard for me, and I loved it from Day 1.”

After joining DJK Wurzburg, Nowitzki was spotted by Holger Gerschwindner, a former national team player turned physicist, trainer and coach. Gerschwindner offered to work with the lanky lad, got the family’s permission, then began to hone every aspect of Nowitzki’s game.

One part guru, one part Svengali to Nowitzki’s Trilby, Gerschwindner favored unorthodox techniques and drills to coax out his players’ abilities. For instance, he would invite an old friend who played the saxophone to the gym, then instruct Nowitzki and other teen players to dribble and move in rhythm with the music (“dance the game,” he termed it). He gave them books and swapped out weight training with morning rowing on a local lake.

“Holger was a little bit mystical figure in Dirk’s orbit who thought completely out of the box,” said Golden State assistant coach Ron Adams, an international scout for Portland in 1998. “He’s a little full of himself and some people look sideways at him, but they let Holger do his thing for the most part in Dallas.”

At 19, Nowitzki had developed enough to be invited to the Nike Hoop Summit, an All-Star event pitting the top international prospects against a squad of U.S. high schoolers. The game was held in San Antonio, but the foreign players convened and practiced in Dallas.

Donnie Nelson, son of Mavericks coach Don Nelson, served as a volunteer assistant coach for the overseas team. A stint with Athletes in Action playing internationally during his time at Wheaton College piqued the younger Nelson’s interest in the NBA potential of foreign-bred players.

“We scouted Europe more than anybody, really,” Don Nelson told NBA.com last week, calling from his home in Maui. “Donnie got the international team to work out at the YMCA in downtown Dallas. So for a full week, I’m watching Dirk work out. He was the most unbelievable young player I’d ever seen.”

Other teams perked up after Nowitzki scored 33 points with 14 rebounds to spark his team’s upset of the Americans, including Al Harrington, Quentin Richardson and Rashard Lewis. But as the 1998 NBA Draft approached, the Nelsons were ready.

“We hid Dirk for several weeks before the draft,” Nelson said. “We made a commitment that we were going to draft him. We just wanted to keep him from going anywhere else to work out. He was going to be ours. He was happy with that. So he hid for a week in Donnie’s basement.”

The Mavericks held the No. 6 pick that year but had more ambitious plans than simply taking Nowitzki at that spot. They arranged a deal with Milwaukee at No. 9, in which Dallas picked Michigan’s Robert (Tractor) Traylor and the Bucks took Nowitzki. They knew Boston had interest, leaving the Celtics to draft Paul Pierce at No. 10.

The Bucks also sent the No. 19 selection, Pat Garrity, to Dallas, which promptly packaged Garrity to Phoenix for a young point guard named Steve Nash.

The Early Years

The 1998-99 NBA season is one that lots of folks would like to forget. First of all, there was no 1998; a labor lockout wiped out training camps and the season’s first two-plus months. The new CBA that was wrangled in January was followed by a frenzied 50-game schedule that began in February. Summer leagues, orientation, September individual work and scrimmages, everything an incoming rookie needs for that first difficult season was off the table.

Then there was Nowitzki, who had just turned 20 and, by his and Gerschwindner’s admission, was probably one or two years ahead of schedule in trying the NBA.

“It was right after they drafted me,” Nowitzki said, “that I had the doubts. Should I go to the NBA? I was skinny, I had played second division in Germany. Can I make this jump?

“I talked to Nellie and Donnie. I got to meet Steve and Mike [Finley], and they all assured me, being a young team, we could grow together. So before I left from home, I said I’d come. But I wasn’t able to sign a contract because of the lockout, and that worked out kind of perfect for me.

“I got to stay home. I got to train with Holger. I got to play first division in Germany for a couple more months and really developed my body a little more, my game. Then I got the call in late January from Donnie. ‘Hey, the season is on. Get your butt to Dallas!'”

Let the record show, in his NBA debut on Feb. 5, 1999, Nowitzki shot 0-for-5, made two free throws, got no rebounds and passed for four assists in 16:20 of an overtime loss to Seattle. That first season, he averaged 8.2 points and 3.4 rebounds while shooting 40.5% overall and 20.6% on 3s. The Mavericks finished 19-31 but the Nelsons made good on their commitment, using Nowitzki in 47 games and starting him in 24, including the final 14 when his minutes doubled to 32.9 per game.

“Super nervous and anxious,” he recalled. “I didn’t know what to expect. We had a week of training camp maybe. I didn’t know all the plays or the defensive calls. Then we had five or six games in a week? It was insane. Looking back, it was good for me to get adjusted and learning. But it was tough to go through.”

There was one bright side: Nash. The unheralded playmaker from British Columbia by way of Santa Clara had been buried in the Suns backcourt his first two seasons. He and the German rookie clicked instantly.

“Well, they both loved to drink beer, so I’d say they clicked,” Nelson said, laughing. “They hung out. They both were single at the time.”

It was a lot more than that, Nowitzki said.

“We came to Dallas on the same day,” he said. “We didn’t have any friends. We lived in the same apartment complex. His family is from Europe, and he loved soccer. So we had that and we completely bonded. We went to dinners. I was feeling homesick so he’d take me to movies, out to eat.

“On free nights, we’d go back to the gym, train, lift, run, shoot, play 1-on-1. We just worked our way to be better and better every year. Steve knew the league, the routines and how to get ready. So I learned a lot from him.”

In his second season, during which Cuban bought the franchise, Nowitzki doubled his output to 17.5 points and 6.5 boards while shooting 46.1% overall and 37.9% from range. He averaged 21.8 in 2000-01 as he and Nash became a devastating pick-and-pop combo, and the Mavericks won 53 games in the first of 11 consecutive years of 50-plus victories. The next season, the guard and the forward were All-Stars.

“The crazy part still is, when he got to the NBA, people were upset that he didn’t play like a traditional center,” Cuban said. “They asked why he wasn’t a rim protector. It’s insane to look back at that now.”

Nash went back to Phoenix in free agency in 2004. Finley was gone a year later. Jason Terry came in, and later Kidd. Their coaches changed, from Nelson to Avery Johnson to Rick Carlisle. But Nowitzki was the cornerstone and he was on a roll. He went to 11 All-Star games in a row and 14 overall. He was a 12-time All-NBA selection. In 2006 he led Dallas to the Finals for the first time. The next season, the Mavs won 67 games and Nowitzki won his MVP award.

The coaching changes, never easy, panned out for him. Nelson tapped into Nowitzki’s rare combo of size and ball skills, using him as a lengthy small forward. He was 26 when Johnson took over, demanding more toughness, post work and even defense from his offensive star. Carlisle, who coached him from 2008 until Nowitzki retired in 2019, was a combination, wanting “a lot of free-flow offense and a lot of structured, detail-oriented defense.”

“I always thought, what if I had gone someplace else? Bulked me up and just put me under the basket and made a center out of me. With Nellie, that never happened,” Nowitzki said.

Johnson perfected Dallas’ use of Nowitzki at the “nail,” the center of the free-throw line where he posed the maximum threat to opposing defenses. It enabled him to punish smaller defenders that would switch onto him, without the time and grind to work into the low post, and likely draw a doubling big man.

“The spacing was good,” he said. “I wasn’t the greatest passer, but at least this way, I knew where my spot-up shooters were. I knew the big guy was in the dunker spot underneath. And if nobody came to double, I was going to just shoot over the little guy.”

As for Carlisle, that partnership produced the highlight of their careers and Cuban’s tenure, Maverick fans’ warmest memories, one of the city’s happiest sports celebrations and a reason so many junior-high kids named Dirk are running around.

“I came in the fall of 2008,” Carlisle said last week, “and the main thing was, ‘Dirk’s got about 4-5 years in his prime. We’ve got to figure out a way to win a championship."

‘Now I’m The Old Guy’

Nowitzki was 14 years old when Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird and the rest of the Dream Team colonized the basketball world during the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona, Spain.

“I was already an NBA fan and with Jordan winning his first championship in 1991, I became a huge Bulls fan,” Nowitzki said. “Then obviously ’92 happened. I had posters in my room of [Charles] Barkley, Shaq later on, Jordan of course, Bird.”

He had a poster, too, of Detlef Schrempf, the native of Leverkusen, Germany who was drafted eighth overall in 1985 by an earlier Dallas regime. Schrempf, a 6-foot-10 forward, grew up in Centralia, Wash., and spent four years at the University of Washington. He played 16 seasons, averaging 13.9 points, 6.2 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game. Later playing for Indiana, Seattle and Portland, Schrempf made three All-Star teams, one All-NBA squad and twice was named the NBA’s top Sixth Man.

Of the 27 NBA players born in Germany, Schrempf is the closest precursor to Nowitzki.

“Of course, Detlef was also one of my favorites. Everybody in Germany knew how good he was,” Nowitzki said. “And then my first game in the league, it was against Seattle and Detlef. The way he treated me there, introduced me to his family, he couldn’t have been nicer. He gave me his phone number and told me to call if I ever had any questions.”

Other notable European players have made their marks before or since. Players such as Sarunas Marciulionis, Drazen Petrovic, Vlade Divac, Andre Kirilenko, Rik Smits, Toni Kukoc and Tony Parker right on to Domantas Sabonis, Luka Doncic and Nikola Jokic.

Now Nowitzki is their flag bearer, a role that makes him almost as proud as when he carried Germany’s flag in the opening ceremony of the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

“I got to play with [Mavs forward] Maxi Kleber my last two years. How special is that, a kid from my hometown comes to us? We spent a lot of time together, before the season we trained together and he had a lot of questions,” Nowitzki said.

“And [Toronto guard] Dennis Schröder, when he got in the league, he actually worked out in Dallas before the Draft. I went there, got to see him, got to meet him and gave him my number. Told him when he had any questions to call me up. So we’ve basically been in contact his entire career.

“Now I’m the old guy. It changes so fast. Twenty years have flown by.”

Dirk Stays With Dallas, Wins 2011 Title

This bond of Nowitzki with Dallas, Dallas with Nowitzki, is something to savor now, full of giddy moments and fuzzy nostalgia. But it was forged in hard times, ordeals that are only appreciated in retrospect and even then with a wince. The early days with the Mavericks had been a challenge for Nowitzki, but nowhere close to what he and the team’s fan base endured a few years later.

In 2005-2006, Dallas won 60 games. Nowitzki averaged a career-best 26.6 points, finished third in MVP balloting and – with teammates such as Terry, Josh Howard and Jerry Stackhouse – once again was the lone All-Star.

“Dirk played with Jason Kidd near the end of his career and Jason was still a great player, but he did not play with a bunch of Hall of Fame players in their prime,” Carlisle said. “Nash left before he really hit his stride. Dirk carried an amazing load with the Dallas Mavericks over a period of two-plus decades that may never be rivaled again.”

Nowitzki was his usual stellar self in leading the Mavs in the 2006 playoffs to series victories over Memphis, San Antonio and Phoenix, with his Game 7 work to beat the Spurs overtime in the West semis most remarkable. He and the Mavericks took a 2-0 lead over Miami in the Finals. Then Dwyane Wade happened, the young Heat star binging at 39.3 points and shooting 73 free throws over the final four games.

The Mavericks regrouped to win 67 games in 2006-07. They were so good, with Nowitzki as MVP, they dragged Howard to his only All-Star selection. Heavily favored against small-ball, eighth-seeded Golden State, Dallas was upset in six games, including defeats by 12, 18 and 25 points. Their old mastermind Nelson was working the Warriors’ sideline at that point, and his insider defense on Nowitzki saw the Mavs star score just eight points on 2-of-13 shooting in the elimination game.

“It would have been unbelievable to win in ’06,” he said. “And then losing in the first round in ’07 to the Warriors, those were some tough, tough losses. Gut-wrenching, to the point where I was embarrassed and disappointed and didn’t want to leave the house for a couple weeks.”

In fact, the only thing that blocked him from a hasty retreat to Germany that spring was the NBA, asking him to stick stateside for a couple of weeks until the MVP presentation.

Another first-round loss in 2008, to New Orleans this time, cost Johnson his job. Carlisle came in but two more abrupt exits followed, to Denver in the 2009 semis and to San Antonio in 2010.

Nowitzki was 32 and, for the first time in his career, a free agent. Three years earlier, a perennial All-NBA forward had accepted a trade in hopes of winning a championship elsewhere: Kevin Garnett left Minnesota after 12 years and insufficient help to finally win in Boston. Was Nowitzki next?

“I always wanted to make it happen,” Nowitzki said. “I met with Mark [Cuban] and we both got a little emotional about what we’d been through together. And he said, ‘Let’s finish this together,’ and I was like, ‘I don’t want to be anywhere else.’ I ended up signing a four-year deal and we won a championship in the first year.”

The 2010-11 Mavericks did more than that. They delayed and possibly altered the trajectory of LeBron James’ grandiose Super Team plans in Miami. The “not one, not two, not three…” hubris of that initial public appearance of James, Wade and Chris Bosh became the thud of “not one” when Dallas and Nowitzki beat the Heat in six games.

Said McHale: “Kidd was really, really smart. Just knew how to play. Some of the guys were older, too. They had a blend of guys who just played so well together. They would do this 2-3 zone when I was [visiting Carlisle] in camp and I told Rick, ‘Your zone sucks. You’ve got to stop using that.’ Hell, they played that zone in the Finals. They had a bunch of high-IQ guys. And pro’s pros. They were not going to beat themselves.

“But the thing I remember the most was Dirk making these unbelievable shots down the stretches of games. He’d make a crazy shot to give them breathing room all the time.”

At this point, Nowitzki believes the elation of 2011 never happens if not for the heartbreaks that came before.

“In 2011, I was the finisher I needed to be in the final moments,” he said. “In ’06 and ’07 I just wasn’t quite there yet to make the big baskets. It wasn’t fun to go through those years when we were favorites but it’s part of my journey and it made me a better player and person for sure.”

Nobody quibbles with that last part. Nowitzki’s lack of drama and pretense drew mentions time and again from people contacted for this story.

“He was the greatest superstar teammate that I’ve ever seen,” Carlisle said. “He had a really humble demeanor, he knew who he was, he knew what his responsibility was.”

Shawn Marion, the 2011 teammate who refers to Nowitzki as the “7-Foot Rainbow Assassin,” also said: “His ego never got in the way of what the biggest goal was. He’s a quiet leader. And he had a bit of a joker side to him too.”

And over the years, with Nowitzki now focused on family, a low-demand Mavericks consultancy and a relaxed TBD future, those close to him have reconciled the global icon vs. Mavericks fixture split.

“Dirk became very Americanized,” Carlisle said, “where Germany and Europe could feel like he was theirs, and the people of Dallas could feel like he was theirs. And no one needed to fight about it.”

[sports-teller]

New Post has been published on Sports-Teller.com!

New Post has been published on https://sports-teller.com/list-drillers-fireworks-2025-oneok-field/

List of Drillers Fireworks 2025 at ONEOK Field

Welcome to the Tulsa Drillers 2025 MiLB season! The Drillers are looking for their first Texas League Championship since 2018. In fact, the franchise is seeking its 5th appearance in the TL Finals since the 2014 campaign. However, the team has not been to the postseason since 2022. Now that the Minor League baseball season is officially underway, the Tulsa Drillers have some exciting stadium giveaways for fans to take home.  Going to the Drillers Baseball Game This Season? Looking to Catch the Fireworks at ONEOK Field in 2025? Now that the upcoming season is upon us, you might be … Read more

[lboogie1906]

Atiim Kiambu “Tiki” Barber (April 7, 1975) is a former football player who was a running back for the New York Giants for ten seasons. He played college football for the University of Virginia. He was drafted by the Giants in the second round of the 1997 NFL Draft and played his entire professional career for the team. He retired from the NFL at the end of the 2006 NFL postseason as the Giants’ all-time rushing and reception leader. He was inducted into the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame in 2011.

He became a national media presence, notably joining NBC’s The Today Show as a correspondent in 2007 and Football Night in America/Sunday Night Football. He has published multiple books.

He is the identical twin brother of former Tampa Bay Buccaneers cornerback and safety Ronde Barber.

He is pursuing business and investment opportunities, reportedly inking a contract to serve as a partner and investor in O Beverages LLC, the maker of fruit-infused bottled water as well as opening a high-tech cycling gym in NYC. He is the co-chairman and co-founder of Thuzio, which provides an online marketplace for athletes to be booked for local speaking appearances, coaching, and personal events.

In 2018 he co-founded Grove Group Management, a cannabis-focused investment firm that provides various forms of expertise (finance, marketing, operations, retail, legal issues, and product development).

He is the son of Geraldine Barber and James Barber. James was a star running back at Virginia Tech and later played in the World Football League. He married his University of Virginia sweetheart Virginia Cha Barber (1999-2012) and they have four children. He married Tracy Lynn Johnson (2012) and they have two children.

On September 18, 2007, his book, Tiki: My Life and the Game Beyond was published. His second book, Tiki Barber’s Pure Hard Workout, was released on November 13, 2008.

He has authored nine illustrated children’s books with his brother.

By My Brother’s Side (2004)

Game Day (2005)

Teammates (2006)

Kickoff! (2007)

Go Long! (2008)

Wild Card (2009)

Red Zone (2010)

Goal Line (2011)

End Zone (2012) #africanhistory365 #africanexcellence

[nosmokesport]

Cal Raleigh Secures $105M Extension With Mariners, Ensuring Long-Term Future

The Seattle Mariners have made a significant move to secure their future by locking in star catcher Cal Raleigh with a six-year, $105 million contract extension. The new deal ensures that Raleigh will remain in Seattle through the 2030 season, providing Mariners fans with long-needed stability at one of the most critical positions in baseball.

Raleigh, 28, was set to enter the 2025 season under a one-year, $5.6 million deal after reaching arbitration for the first time. However, with this extension, both Raleigh and the Mariners avoid uncertainty, and he becomes the second key player to receive a long-term contract, following in the footsteps of center fielder Julio Rodríguez.

A Cornerstone Player for Seattle

When asked about the heart and soul of the Mariners, many fans would immediately point to Raleigh. While Rodríguez is known for his flashy style and star power, Raleigh is the steady presence, the backbone of the team. A player who thrives under pressure, Raleigh has quietly earned his place as one of the league’s best catchers.

The nickname “Big Dumper” has become a fan favorite, stemming from Raleigh’s well-known backside. While the moniker is often a source of laughter, Raleigh has embraced it, wearing it proudly as a symbol of his identity in Seattle.

Yet beyond the jokes, Raleigh has proven his worth as a key player for the Mariners. His ability to manage the pitching staff, hit for power, and handle big moments has made him a player the team can rely on for years to come.

From Draft to Star

Raleigh was selected by Seattle in the third round of the 2018 MLB Draft out of Florida State, a program that has produced numerous intelligent and tough ballplayers. His rise through the Mariners’ minor league system was steady, and by 2022, he was named the team’s full-time catcher. His contributions helped the Mariners end a painful 21-year playoff drought, with Raleigh hitting a walk-off home run to clinch their postseason berth.

Since then, Raleigh has only improved. In 2024, he blasted 34 home runs and drove in 100 RBIs, all while maintaining his elite defensive skills behind the plate. Although his batting average stood at .220, Raleigh’s power from the catcher’s position made him an invaluable asset to the team.

Elite Defensive Skills Behind the Plate

While Raleigh’s hitting has garnered attention, it’s his defense that sets him apart. Known as a top-tier pitch framer, Raleigh excels at stealing strikes from the edges of the strike zone, a skill that provides immense value to his pitchers. His strong arm and ability to control the running game have made him a top-tier defender.

Raleigh’s contributions behind the plate were acknowledged in 2024 when he won both the Gold Glove and the prestigious Platinum Glove award, which is given to the best defensive player in the American League, regardless of position. This remarkable achievement for a catcher is a rare feat and speaks to Raleigh’s exceptional defensive abilities.

Pitchers in the Mariners’ clubhouse consistently praise Raleigh for his game preparation, his meticulous study of hitters, and his leadership during tough innings. His control of the game goes far beyond simply catching the ball; he orchestrates the action on the field.

Leadership Beyond the Stats

Raleigh’s influence in the Mariners’ locker room is undeniable. He may not be the loudest voice, but his leadership is felt by everyone. That kind of leadership is often hard to quantify, but it’s invaluable throughout the long grind of a 162-game season.

In a clubhouse full of young players, Raleigh’s experience—having been part of both the losing and winning sides—has made him a key leader for the Mariners. This leadership, combined with his on-field contributions, is why the Mariners were eager to lock him down with a long-term contract.

Timing the Extension Right

Seattle didn’t have to extend Raleigh’s contract just yet. He was under team control for a few more years thanks to arbitration. However, the Mariners recognized that timing is crucial when it comes to these kinds of extensions. By signing Raleigh now, they avoid the potential chaos of arbitration and ensure that they don’t risk losing him to free agency in the coming years.

For Raleigh, the extension provides long-term security, avoids injury risks, and gives him a well-deserved payday as one of the league’s top catchers.

Looking to the Future

With this extension, Raleigh joins Rodríguez as the cornerstones of the Mariners’ roster for the next several years. This new foundation has given the Mariners a solid base to build from as they set their sights on finally claiming the AL West title, a division they have not won since 2001.

The Mariners have come close in recent years, finishing with 88 wins in 2023 and 85 wins in 2024, but have narrowly missed the postseason in both seasons. With Raleigh’s extension locked in, the Mariners can now focus on their next steps, which may include extending more of their young talent and continuing to develop their deep farm system.

A Bright Future for Seattle’s Farm System

Seattle’s farm system remains one of the most promising in all of baseball. Shortstop Cole Emerson is quickly making a name for himself, and recent draft picks like switch-pitcher Jurrangelo Cijntje and power pitcher Ryan Sloan could soon become household names. The Mariners’ future vision revolves around a core of trusted veterans like Raleigh and Rodríguez, supplemented by waves of homegrown talent.

If all goes according to plan, the Mariners could finally be on the cusp of something special, something the fans in Seattle have been eagerly waiting for.

The City of Seattle is Ready for a Winner

The fan base in Seattle has endured years of rebuilding, near misses, and heartbreak. Now, with a competitive roster and a franchise catcher in Raleigh, hope is beginning to blossom. Raleigh’s new contract isn’t just a payday—it’s a sign that the Mariners believe in him and see him as the key player to lead the team into its next chapter.

If the last few seasons are any indication, Raleigh is primed to be a significant part of the Mariners’ journey towards greatness.

Source: Cal Raleigh $105 Million Dollar Extension

[danieljreboot]

1. Los Angeles Dodgers Petriello: I actually think the narrative of the Dodgers being this unstoppable crushing machine that is predetermined to steamroll everyone on the path to 140 wins and a World Series title – in, somehow, three games – is more than a little overblown. Are the Dodgers a wildly talented outfit of superstars so loaded that they’ve now surpassed “merely being a baseball team” and become some sort of internationally known conglomerate? Well, yes.

But also: FanGraphs gives them 23% odds to win the World Series, which means that three out of every four times they run the simulation, someone else wins the ring. We might be overthinking just how dominant a team can be when they are coming off their fewest full-season wins since 2018, and we know well by now that absolutely anything can happen in a short postseason series, lest you forget the D-backs pummeling the 2023 Dodgers right out of the playoffs.

2. Atlanta Braves Leitch: How many key players could you subtract from the Braves and have them still make the playoffs? Last year couldn’t have possibly gone worse for the Braves, and even with all that, they finished tied with the Mets before finally limping off the field and collapsing in the NL Wild Card Series.

Not everyone will be ready on Opening Day this year -- neither Ronald Acuña Jr. nor Spencer Strider will be on the active roster just yet -- but most everyone else will be back, and we are not long removed from this being an “astonishingly good” offense. (Your words, Mike!) The pitching looks even better than it did two years ago and in their World Series-winning season; they do not look like they want their bullpen to be caught off-guard again.

I know this is a stacked division, but there’s a reason the Braves were considered the ��kings” heading into 2024 -- again, your words! Last year’s black swan injury event can’t possibly repeat itself. The Dodgers are No. 1. But the Braves are 1A. And maybe even more than that.

[theultimatefan]

Belleville, N.J. Native Max Correa Named Eighth Caldwell University Men's Soccer Coach

Max Correa, a native of nearby Belleville, N.J., has been named the eighth Caldwell University Head Men's Soccer Coach, it was announced today by Mark A. Corino, Assistant Vice President and Director of Athletics. Correa, most recently an assistant coach at Division I College of Charleston since 2021, succeeds Evan Marques, who resigned in December after three years at the helm.

Correa, a 2018 graduate of Drew University, was promoted in 2023 to assistant coach at Charleston after serving as director of operations & player development and volunteer assistant coach at the South Carolina school. In his most recent role, he had a hand in all facets of the Coastal Athletic Association program, responsible for scouting reports, Playertek Data, session planning, organizing camps, video, recruiting, on-field training and more. Previously, he was assistant coach at Wilkes (Pa.) University from 2019-2021.

Under his assistance, Charleston recorded a 10-6-2 season—its best since 2017—exceeding preseason projections and securing a fifth-place conference finish. He also coached multiple award-winning players, including the Co-Midfielder of the Year, two First Team All-Conference selections, and three All-Region honorees. His expertise in set-piece strategies contributed to 15 goals, accounting for 40% of the team's total scoring.

During the Fall 2023 season, Correa helped Charleston achieve a 6-6-5 record, marking the program’s first non-losing season since 2017. Throughout his tenure, six players received postseason accolades, including the 2021 CAA Rookie of the Year. Prior to Charleston, Correa played a pivotal role at Wilkes University, where he helped secure the program’s first playoff victory since 2008 and its first winning record since 2013.

"The combination of Max's experience in the sport, New Jersey connections, and demonstrated variety of skills and abilities made him a strong candidate," said Corino. "It became even more apparent when we met him that he would be a good fit here, and we are pleased to welcome him to the Caldwell University family."

Correa will have Caldwell Athletics administrator duties as well as his coaching responsibilities.

Correa enjoyed a standout playing career at Drew, where the team captain helped the Rangers to an NCAA Division III Sweet Sixteen appearance, Landmark Conference championship and ECAC championship. The 2019 graduate finished third in school and second in Landmark history in assists (26). The economics major went on to earn his MBA at Wilkes and a Master coach Diploma from the University of Delaware.

“I am incredibly honored and excited to take on the role of Head Men’s Soccer Coach at Caldwell University,” said Correa. “I want to thank Mr. Corino and the Caldwell Athletics Department for this opportunity. This program has a strong foundation, and I look forward to building on the success that Coach Marques established while fostering a culture of excellence, discipline, and growth for our student-athletes. I am eager to bring my experience and passion for the game to Caldwell and to help our players reach their full potential both on and off the field.”

His local ties run even deeper, as the Belleville, N.J. native was a four-year varsity player and three-year captain at Belleville High School. His extensive youth soccer coaching experience includes stints with the Montclair Soccer Club, Bound-brook based United Soccer Academy, and South Carolina Surf.

Max holds his USSF B License and Scottish FA UEFA C Diploma and is a Level 2 ISPAS Accredited Performance Analyst.

[anthonybialy]

Predicting Results Easy for Buffalo Bills

They’ve got some nerve making us cheer for the Eagles.  Creating indignities is the specialty of a Buffalo Bills team that once again stopped themselves at the semifinal.  Everyone outside of Philadelphia wanted to witness Missouri’s Death Star exploding.  But Alderaan’s beloved team is unavailable to advance.  Episode IX was better plotted than the play calling.  Maybe that sneak will work next time.

Precedent is unhelpful.  Aligning with the City of Brotherly Love’s raging Kelly-clad fans two years ago doesn’t make defaulting to the less unappealing choice any easier today.  The Bills are experts at repeating history.

Sean McDermott’s habit of getting interested in football midway through the second quarter set the tone, I’m afraid.  Showing up unprepared surprised the Chiefs.  But not every startling move pays off.  Getting ready during halftime is the second-best plan aside from being prepared from the start.  Everyone who watched the Bills throughout this season warned their wont to indulge in a lazy Sunday would catch up to them.  The CliffsNotes franchise had no answers for exam questions.

Thirty-one aspirants have to beat one particular competitor to not only advance but be considered the best.  One would figure the Bills would’ve preferred a playoff matchup against the team they beat versus the one that beat them.  But Houston would’ve offered more of a challenge than Kansas City in the same strictly technical sense that Jimi Hendrix is a one-hit wonder.  Context overrules regular-season results.

Place the latest season-ending loss in the context of previous trauma to exacerbate aching.  The over/under on Jim Nantz mentioning 13 seconds was .5 seconds.  The under won.  But bringing up the most gut-wrenching of the many entrants is merely part of a series that’s unavoidable.  Any sensible bettor would wager that the trend will continue.  Stefon Diggs flew to Kansas City to watch the Chiefs celebrate.  

A trip back in time is most frustrating when we can’t warn travelers about the future.  The game started with 2018 Josh Allen playing in 2025.  The most valuable player in every sense conducted himself like he was nervous, which is understandable in that he is responsible for the city’s chances, hopes, and economy.  Being too amped up hampered Allen earlier in his career.  Settling down led to Buffalo’s best chance, which in turn led to it being wasted.

Allen is the very last person to blame for the NFL’s present postseason certainty.  He doesn’t play defense on top of only catching one pass this year.  Surrendering 34 points per game to Kansas City in the playoffs is curious for a club with an erstwhile defensive coordinator at head coach.  The Bills tackle like I’m dealing with my problems.

Brandon Beane lost the latest round to the Chiefs.  There’s an easy way to check how poorly a team has drafted.  Kaiir Elam going in for injury injures the defense.  This era’s most notorious first-round bust competed with Rasul Douglas and Damar Hamlin to see who’s the chain’s weakest link.  None of them maintained integrity, so I’ll rule it a tie.  Hamlin came back to life to play.  I didn’t say he played well.  

If the Bills don’t want people noting they acquired Keon Coleman and not Xavier Worthy, they should stop the latter from scoring.  The receiver they waited to take makes the contrast vaster.  Buffalo’s underwhelmingly overestimated rookie caught a single pass for a dozen yards, but at least he’s hilarious in that winter coat.

The AFC championship has become an event to see whose performance gets wasted.  There was no room, which didn’t deter James Cook.  It’s the 21st century and pro football, which means the Chiefs never expected the option.  And they certainly didn’t think he’d balance his way to a touchdown on his hand like a b-boy.  Breakdancing would still be in the Olympics if America sent Cook to Paris.

Winning despite how they play is Kansas City’s new signature just like Buffalo falling short is their old one.  McDermott will find a way to fall short.  Momentum favors the Chiefs whether they seize or are handed it.

Fate is on Kansas City’s side if it’s controlled by Roger Goodell.  It sure seems like the NFL is into ensuring bliss for one particular reigning champion.  No, the league’s not biased in Kansas City’s favor.  Now, here’s a review absurdly in their favor between a commercial starring Patrick Mahomes and a shot of that irksome tone-deaf bore of a pop singer who’s allegedly dating the raged-out tight end.

The Bills did not make the line to gain, according to guest referee Christian Okoye.  Brett Hull may as well have scored the ensuing touchdown.  The NFL doesn’t want to move past primitive officiating to robotic imaging because removing human judgment would prevent them from playing favorites.

Excusers of officiating ineptitude neglect how it’s tough enough to win with even chances.  Shifting momentum is paired with taking an opportunity from one offense and giving it to another to make the rule enforcement squad an active participant.  You can guess which side they took.

Are fans upset with coaching, officiating, or play?  Yes.  Cheering may seem straightforward, but complications make feelings complex in a focused way.  Our favorite team’s least favorite tight end sabotaged them with a rare cameo.  Dalton Kincaid could’ve been a hero if he caught a pass, so forget it.  It seemed like he had ghosted his employer.  The only thing worse than Kincaid disappearing is him arriving.  Nothing summarizes the Josh Allen era better than a teammate flubbing a remarkable attempt created out of nothing.

The Bills are my favorite thing and I hate them.  Trying to make the case that fate doesn’t despise us gets a little trickier every year.  An entire universe constructed to make us sad churns on while operating naturally.  George Costanza’s personality could be explained by him cheering for the Bills as much as his parentage.  Life does have meaning; it’s just that said meaning revolves around making involuntary participants hate it.  The distraction from the everyday abyss of despair ends with identical aggravation.

This team contributes to our understanding of existence in its way.  Screwing over themselves by wasting a generational opportunity with a singular talent is so in character that it would’ve been surprising to not lose to the Chiefs by one score.  Football and life are predictable if you step back and notice patterns.

[dhart4214]

PLAYOFF BOUND: Rams and Chargers in the Postseason - How I See Their Chances

Action from the Rams – Chargers preseason game in August. Photo courtesy of spectrumnews1.com A LOOK AT SO CAL’S TWO PLAYOFF BOUND NFL TEAMS – THE 1st TIME THAT HAS HAPPENED SINCE 2018 LOS ANGELES CHARGERS Record: 11-6, second place in the AFC West Playoff Seed: Fifth First Opponent: at Houston Texans, Saturday, January 11th at 1:30 p.m. TV: CBS Channel 2 Top Players: Justin Hebert, QB:…

[blogeternal]

How Josh Allen Became the Face of the Buffalo Bills Franchise 

Josh Allen was born on May 21, 1996, in Firebaugh, California. Growing up, he developed a passion for football and quickly gained recognition for his athleticism. After high school, Allen attended the University of Wyoming, where he played college football for the Wyoming Cowboys. Despite his early success, many analysts questioned his accuracy and consistency, but Allen’s raw arm strength and physical tools stood out. He became one of the most highly regarded quarterbacks in college football, showcasing his potential to play at the next level.

NFL Draft and Rookie Season

In 2018, Josh Allen’s talent was recognized when the Buffalo Bills selected him as the seventh overall pick in the NFL Draft. His rookie season had its ups and downs, as he showed glimpses of brilliance but struggled with turnovers and inconsistencies. Nonetheless, Allen's powerful arm and mobility immediately made him a threat on the field. His rookie year served as a learning experience, setting the foundation for his future growth.

Rise to Stardom

Over the next few seasons, Allen evolved into one of the most dynamic quarterbacks in the NFL. His combination of arm strength and mobility made him a dual-threat quarterback capable of making plays from all angles. His leadership, work ethic, and growing football IQ allowed him to refine his game and build a strong connection with his teammates. Allen quickly became the face of the Buffalo Bills franchise, earning the respect of coaches, players, and fans alike.

Breakout Season (2020)

Josh Allen’s breakout season came in 2020 when he led the Buffalo Bills to their first AFC East division title since 1995. He threw for over 4,500 yards, 37 touchdowns, and posted a career-high passer rating of 107.2. Allen’s performance that season earned him a Pro Bowl selection and solidified his place as one of the NFL’s top quarterbacks. His success continued into the playoffs, where he led the Bills on a deep postseason run, further establishing himself as a premier signal-caller in the league.

2021 and Beyond

In 2021, Allen continued to impress with his arm strength and ability to make plays with his legs. He guided the Bills into another playoff appearance, solidifying the team as one of the AFC’s elite contenders. With a strong supporting cast and a solid defense, Allen is positioned to lead the Bills to further postseason success in the coming years.

Off the Field: Philanthropy and Community Impact

Off the field, Josh Allen is known for his philanthropic efforts and community involvement. He has supported causes like children’s hospitals, veterans’ organizations, and local initiatives in Buffalo. His down-to-earth personality and commitment to giving back have made him a beloved figure in the city. Allen's charitable work and leadership extend beyond the football field, contributing to his status as a role model.

Josh Allen Personal Life 

Josh Allen is known for his down-to-earth personality and close-knit family. Off the field, he enjoys spending time with his family and friends, staying active, and supporting various charitable causes. Recently, he has been the subject of rumors regarding Allen relationship with actress Hailee Steinfeld, with reports suggesting they may be engaged.

The Future of Josh Allen

Josh Allen’s future in the NFL looks bright. With his powerful arm, mobility, and leadership abilities, he is well-equipped to lead the Buffalo Bills to more playoff appearances and potentially a Super Bowl title. As one of the most exciting quarterbacks in the league, Allen is poised to leave a lasting legacy in the NFL.

[sports-teller]

New Post has been published on Sports-Teller.com!

New Post has been published on https://sports-teller.com/list-hooks-fireworks-2025-whataburger-field/

List of Hooks Fireworks 2025 at Whataburger Field

Welcome to the Corpus Christi Hooks 2025 MiLB season! The Hooks are looking to win the Texas League Championship for the first time since 2006. In fact, the club is seeking its first postseason berth since 2018. Also to keep in mind is that the organization has not made the playoffs in back-to-back years since 2015-2016. Now that the Minor League baseball season is officially underway, the Corpus Christi Hooks have some exciting stadium giveaways for fans to take home.  Going to the Hooks Baseball Game This Season? Looking to Catch the Fireworks at Whataburger Field in 2025? Now that … Read more

[lboogie1906]

Dennis Earl Green (February 17, 1949 – July 21, 2016) was a football coach. During his National Football League career, he coached the Minnesota Vikings for 10 seasons. He coached the Vikings to eight playoff appearances in nine years, despite having seven different starting quarterbacks in those postseasons. He was posthumously inducted into the Minnesota Vikings Ring of Honor in 2018.

He was the second African American head coach in NFL history. He was the Minnesota Viking’s head coach (1992-2001). He was one of the winningest coaches of the 1990s, posting a 97–62 record as Vikings head coach. His best season in Minnesota was in 1998 when the Vikings finished 15–1 and set the NFL record for most points in a season at the time; however, the Vikings were upset by the Atlanta Falcons in that year’s NFC Championship Game, and he was unable to reach the Super Bowl throughout his tenure. Following his first losing record in 2001, he was fired just before the final game of the season. He was hired by the Cardinals to serve as the head coach for the 2004 season.

He grew up in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. In 2019, the 1100 to 1300 block of Walnut Street was renamed “Dennis Green Way” to honor the late native. His father, Penrose “Bus” Green was a postal worker, he played for the Harrisburg Lions semi-pro football team. His mother Anna Green was a beautician. Green has four children.

He attended John Harris High School and graduated cum laude from the University of Iowa with a BA in finance. He was planning to be a high school teacher if his football career didn’t pan out. In college, he started as a halfback in each of his three seasons with the Iowa Hawkeyes. In his collegiate career, he had 139 carries for 699 yards and nine touchdowns. His best individual game was in a 1968 loss to Texas Christian University when he rushed 18 times for 175 yards and two touchdowns. After graduating from Iowa, he played professionally for the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League in 1971. #africanhistory365 #africanexcellence

[taetaesungsung]

KIA Trade's ambitious work is finally out…Winning → Repeating the dark history of the fall, I was more active because I was sick

KIA won the combined title in 2009 and acquired the trophy for the first time in 12 years since 1997 when it was in Haitai. Considering Kia's formidable record, building a dynasty was not a dream, but lost 16 consecutive games in 2010, ending the regular season in fifth place, 11.5 games behind 다파벳슬롯fourth-ranked Lotte, failing to even secure a ticket to the postseason.

It took eight full years to regain the top position. Kia became the champion of the unified team in 2017 and dreamed of establishing a dynasty again this time, 넥스트벳우회주소but failed to meet expectations by ranking fifth in the 2018 regular season. The winning rate was even below the 50-50 level. Of course, it advanced to the wild card game, but failed to display stellar performance against the Nexen Heroes once before being eliminated at full speed.

Again, seven years had to pass before the team won the title. Kia achieved the combined championship this year. However, it is still cautious not to mention the word "dynasties." Yang Hyeon-jong, Kia's "big pitcher," 메이저사이트said right after winning the Korean Series. "I still don't think I can play enough. I haven't played in the Korean Series for three to four years in a row like Haitai seniors, Samsung and Doosan Bears. I won the title in seven years," Yang said. "If we win the title next year and win the title again in the next year, we would call it a dynasty, but now I don't think it's a good manners to mention the word