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The Ultimate Fighter Finale: Tavares vs. Adesanya

By
Corey Roveri
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The Ultimate Fighter Finale: Tavares vs. Adesanya

Tavares and Adesanya clash for The Ultimate Fighter title.

The Ultimate Fighter is wrapping up its 27th season, and with the middleweight division in shambles the UFC could afford a bit of a shake up. On July 6th inside The Pearl in Las Vegas, Brad Tavares and Isreal Adesanya clash for The Ultimate Fighter title.

Both Tavares and Adesanya have experience inside the octagon. Adesanya has fought twice while Tavares has been around for a bit longer.

Israel Adesanya

“The Last Stylebender” hails from Lagos, Nigeria and fights out of Auckland New Zealand. Adesanya stands in at  6-foot-4 and weighs 184 pounds. He is 13-0 in his professional career with two UFC wins under his belt. His first win came by way of knockout vs. Rob Wilkinson at UFC 221. Adesanya also beat Marvin Vettori by split decision in April.

After knocking out Wilkinson, Adesanya was pretty quick to initiate his own fanfare with this less-than-humble post fight interview. When asked about facing pressure, “The Last Stylebender” responded with, “No pressure, pressure makes diamonds, you know what it is.”

During the same interview he goes on to say, “Middleweights: I’m the new dog in the yard, and I just pissed all over this cage.”

Brad Tavares

Tavares was born in Kailua, Hawaii, and fights out of the Sin City Sports Mockery HQ (Okay, so maybe doesn’t train at our gym, but a Vegas guy nonetheless!). Tavares is 30 years of age and holds a professional record of 18-5. He stands 6-feet, 1-inch tall and weighs 185 pounds. He is also the No. 8 middleweight contender.

Tavares is no stranger to the octagon. In fact, he was a member of Team liddell on TUF11. Tavares also has four wins by way of TKO, and two via rear naked choke to compliment five first round finishes.

A winner of six of his last eight, the 11-year pro has even faced Robert Whittaker (Whittaker knocked him out in the first round back in 2015). Since his fight against Whittaker, Tavares has enjoyed decision victories against Caio Magalhaes, Elias Theodorou, and Thale Leites before knocking out Kryzysztof Jotko to earn his fourth straight UFC victory.

The Matchup

Firstly, we do need to address a few things from the Tavares corner; Adesanya is 6-foot-4, and compared to Tavares at 6-foot-1, it’s not a huge disadvantage. Brad would most likely prefer to have Israel stand in somewhere around the 5-foot-10 mark instead.

The second point here is a significant reach advantage in Adesanya’s direction. Adesanya’s reach measures in at 80 inches while Tavares is at a six-inch disadvantage in the category. That’s a lot of reach to give up, especially to a guy two years your junior, three inches taller, being hailed as some by “the Next Jon Jones,” although Adesanya has his own opinions about the comparisons to Jones.

Photo: UFC

Still, it’s hard to ignore Tavares winning his last four after losing to middleweight champion Robert Whittaker. Overall, this is going to be one hell of a TUF Finale. Watch Tavares and Adesanya clash for The Ultimate Fighter title on UFC Fight Pass and FS1.

Want To See What A 100 MPH Fastball Looks Like?

By
Matt Enuco
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Michael Kopech throws absolute cheddar.

Few of us have dug in against a centenarian fastball and listened to our knees knock and pulse accelerate as the ball whistles toward the plate. As the pitcher winds up adrenaline is released through your veins as you prepare to be impaled or take a hell hack in self-defense. 

Ask yourself if you have the courage to stand in against a guy throwing serious heat while trying to make contact, let alone anticipate whether the heater or the hammer is coming and how to time it up. Compound those decisions with keeping your mechanics in order, adjusting to location and making a split-second decision about whether to lift the bat or keep it holstered.

Now, add 50,000 fans with bottled up emotion staring at you in a pressure-packed situation ready to erupt in catharsis if you succeed or rain down vicious criticisms if you fail. Add the general release of control knowing that the pitcher is in his windup and you can’t stop him to collect yourself to the degree of difficulty. It’s coming and there ain’t nothing you can do about it.

That’s just a taste of what it’s like to face someone like Michael Kopech. And if he doesn’t have his control that day…well, get ready to ice yourself down in the clubhouse because it doesn’t tickle.

We all know about Kopech’s historic heat and as we wait with bated breath for him to earn the promotion to the White Sox, many have been calling for for the past two months, just let your eyes absorb the incendiary magic of what a 97-98 mph fastball looks like. Imagine what happens when he dials it up a notch to 100+.

The other video features a less known prospect but one with no less power than Kopech. Ian Hamilton could be the closer for the White Sox sooner rather than later and if Zack Burdi never returns to form from Tommy John surgery, the Sox will certainly need him. He too features a blistering fastball that has become ordinary among closers — 100+ mph fastballs with sweeping sliders or fading cutters.

So, take a minute and be honest with yourself about whether you have the balls to step into that batters box. And then remind yourself of that everytime you want to say “hitting ain’t hard.”

Bears Top 100 ‘Snub’ Is Now Motivation For 2018

By
Joey Gelman
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mitch trubisky

We are just about 3 weeks from the start of one of the most anticipated training camps in recent Bears memory and what was the first storyline we heard this week? No Bears’ player made the NFL Network’s Top 100 player list for the 2017-2018 season.

This should come as no surprise as the 2017 Bears were almost as bad to watch as the 2016 Bears, or maybe the 2015 Bears, or the 2014 Bears? The list, unfortunately, goes on.

However, this ‘snub’ is something the Bears are used to, with Matt Forte being the only Bear to make the list since 2016.

But as Bears fans sit here in the last week of June, this ranking should not deter Bears fans from their hope and optimism for the 2018-2019 season and beyond. If you are so inclined to buy Bears’ ‘stock,’ do it. Their rise is coming and this dismissal by the NFL Network should only serve as motivation for the Monsters of the Midway.

And don’t worry Bears’ nation, this should serve as motivation for you too.

The 2017 Bears were a tough bunch to watch, with flashes from Mitchell Trubisky, Jordan Howard, Eddie Jackson and more. But as the season went on, the guttural reactions to John Fox’s coaching style by fans and media alike, clouded judgment about developments on the field.

While I will be first in line to tell Mitchell Trubisky to throw away anything he learned from Dowell Loggains as he enters the 2018-2019 season, there is merit to the experience he had on the field last season simply by suiting up, commanding a huddle and throwing in the ‘big leagues.’

Last year for Trubisky was imperative toward his growth, allowing him and others to create a new culture, new schemes and a new way to win, in order to help himself or a teammate crack the Top 100 in June of 2019.

While it is too early to set goals for the Bears next season, there are two simple achievements Bears fans should expect their team to make to provide a sign of progress, and it starts with the Top 100 list.

The First Goal: Make The List

That should be the simple goal. Have a player make the Top 100. I know this list is in reality just a piece of paper, but it can provide a template for what Bears’ fans should expect in 2018. Next season is about development alongside excitement on the field. This plan may not sync up with a playoff berth, but it should produce league leaders even on a .500 team. The more productive the players are on the field the more the Bears will attract buzz around the league, especially for fans, free agents, and maybe even Rich Eisen who will be compiling this list between 40-yard dashes.

The Second Goal For 2018-2019: Let’s Go Bowling:

While Matt Forte was the last Bear to make the NFL Network’s exclusive list, the Bears also haven’t had a ‘first-ballot’ Pro-Bowler in three consecutive seasons. Jordan Howard did eventually make it to Orlando last year, but that was only as a replacement.

This goal should be easily attainable for the Bears. With all the skill they added this offseason on offense, Allen Robinson, Jordan Howard and even Mitchell Trubisky should all be candidates come January. On a team where wins aren’t guaranteed just yet, fans and individual players should look to these types of recognition as markers for growth and a pathway to sustained success.

Making the Top 100 or the Pro Bowl prove development but also are seen as signs of respect around the league; two areas in which the Bears regressed under John Fox.

While so many players sit out of the All-Star festivities, it is still a tremendous accomplishment to be named a Pro Bowler, and it also tells fans that the greatness they are watching is, in fact, real and that those individual performances could eventually help lead their team to a title.

These goals for the Bears seam fairly easy on paper, but for a fan base that has been stripped of NFL football for the last 4 years, these are in fact important indicators that the Bears are moving in the right direction.

A Bears fan could sit at home at ease, knowing that the Bears trajectory was going up, with 2 players making the Pro Bowl and 2 making the Top 100 in 2017. But that didn’t happen. Bears fans had nothing to grasp on to as the season spiraled along. The Bears and their fans need these small but important wins next year.

The Bears should look at their ‘snub’ and use it against every other team this upcoming season. These two goals are vital for a team and an entire organization that is searching for relevancy and respect, in a league that holds reputations in the highest of standards.

It’s only June, but the Bears already have their first two homework assignments for 2018

Things That Are Bad: Bulls Being Linked To Lance Stephenson

By
Patrick Mooney
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As I mentioned in my last Bulls blog, the Bulls have just one open roster spot remaining and there are reportedly serious doubts that the organization will retain Zach LaVine. If LaVine walks, the Bulls will need a shooting guard. Please, oh please, don’t let that shooting guard be Lance Stephenson.

The 27-year-old, eight-year veteran hasn’t averaged double figures in scoring since 2014. He hasn’t posted a defensive rating of 105 or better since 2015. He’s a career 30% 3-point shooter. He’s also lunatic.

I take back everything I said about Zach LaVine not being worth a max contract. Pay that man $100M a year to keep Stephenson away.

 

Jon Lester Gives Javier Baez Biggest Compliment Of His Career

By
Aldo Soto
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You thought last year was Javier Baez’s breakout season? Well, it looks like he’s just getting started.

I’ll admit it, back in 2015, before Baez was El Mago to everyone, I doubted how good Baez could be. Luckily I’m dumb and Baez has far exceeded my expectations and probably the same goes for even his biggest supporters.

Tuesday night’s 9-4 win for the Cubs over the Dodgers was yet another reminder how special Baez is. When the Cubs needed someone to spark them, Baez answered, homering twice, including a grand-slam, while pulling off another incredible play on defense.

It brought back great memories to 2016, when Baez first made his name known on a national stage, sharing NLCS MVP honors with Jon Lester.

We know how great Baez is, but the level of enjoyment can’t be replicated from watching him do it on the field. Lester got a front row seat on Tuesday, when he pitched five innings and collected his 10th win of the year after allowing only two runs.

Following the 9-4 victory that snapped a five-game losing streak, Lester gave Baez one of the biggest compliments of his career.

I think it’s a pretty safe assumption that most Cubs fans view Baez as the most entertaining player on the team and definitely consider him near the top of the most electric players in all of baseball.

Well, Lester feels the same, however, he took it to the next level Tuesday night when he compared Baez to some of the best players he’s ever shared a field with.

In terms of Lester’s favorite player to watch? The answer is now Javier Baez.

That’s some pretty good company to be in if you’re Baez and if you’re a Cubs fan, how can he not be one of your favorites when he does stuff like this. 

After his four-hit, two home run and five RBIs game, Baez leads the Cubs with 75 hits, 16 home runs, 56 RBIs, 45 runs and 13 stolen bases.

Oh and his defense is pretty good too.

Just a matter of time before El Mago becomes El All-Star.

Important Question: Is Jon Hamm A Douche For Wearing This Hat To Cubs-Dodgers Game?

By
Aldo Soto
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We all know Jon Hamm is a St. Louis Cardinals fan and tried to troll the Chicago Cubs during the 2016 World Series, showing up to Wrigley Field in a 1908 Cardinals hat. Hilarious, Jon.

Anyway, during Tuesday night’s game between the Cubs and Los Angeles Dodgers, WGN showed Hamm in the stands and once again he was wearing a Cardinals hat.

It’s not as egregious as seeing a fan wear another team’s jersey to a game, where that team isn’t playing, but my following tweet was in the spirit of that specific thing.

According to others on Twitter, Hamm was at the game with Megan Mullally (right) and her husband Nick Offerman, who you know, is a Cubs fan! Hey, WGN how about showing the Cubs fan.

Back to Hamm.

So, some people thought it didn’t matter and doesn’t matter if you rep your team even if they’re not playing at the game you’re at, but I still think it’s a bad move.

Maybe a hat isn’t as bad as a jersey and definitely not as bad as this…

…but still.

And yes I know, at the end of the day of course it doesn’t matter. Who actually cares what you wear, but it’s just a fun, little meaningless debate.

So, repping your team even if they’re not playing the game you’re at, good move or bad move?

VIDEO: Javier Baez Comes To The Rescue, Hits A Grand Slam!

By
Aldo Soto
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Javier Baez coming through when the Chicago Cubs need it the most.

It’s been one hell of an awful five-game losing streak for the Cubs and the offense was looking ugly once again Tuesday night. Runners left on base again and nothing going right. Then, the offense finally broke through in the sixth, as Addison Russell and Ben Zobrist had RBI-singles to tie and put the Cubs ahead of the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Yet, it was Baez and his fourth hit of the night that really gave every Cubs fan watching a big sigh of relief. First-pitch swinging, Baez smacked a grand slam, giving him a career-high five RBIs for the game.

That was Baez’s second home run of the game. He hit this one earlier.

Oh and he also did this.

El Mago does it all!

College Coaches Gave Bears Rookie an All-Time Great Nickname

By
Erik Lambert
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Joel Iyiegbuniwe

The Chicago Bears rookie class is quite the mixture of interesting personalities. Easily the one that garnered the biggest doubletake from fans was fourth round pick Joel Iyiegbuniwe. Aside from his challenging-to-pronounce last name, he was someone many people didn’t know about. All they discovered was he had a strong career at Western Kentucky and aimed to get into medicine whenever his football life ended.

Over time they’ve learned he’s quite the athlete with surprising speed for his size. Now the Bears have released their “Meet The Rookies” series on the web. Iyiegbuniwe is their next case study and he is quite a story. Among the most interesting notes regarded how his college career began.

The plans going in were for him to play a hybrid version of defensive end and outside linebacker. However, another player transferred out. This left a gap at inside linebacker that needed filling. Iyiegbuniwe was their choice. A few years later the Bears picked him in the fourth round. Seemed to work out.

Among his positive traits, Joel Iyiegbuniwe comes with a tremendous nickname

Western Kentucky coach Terry Obee was interviewed to discuss what made “Iggy” such a good player. Being a coach, the first thing he zeroed in on was the young man’s work ethic and energy level. It was then that he revealed what the coaches often called him in school, and it’s gold.

“Iggy, as a person, you’re talking about work really hard. We named him, kind of named him ‘Skeletor’ because he’s just body. He’s got muscles everywhere. And he gives a lot of effort, especially playing linebacker because he makes a lot of plays. Very instinctive. I just think he has huge upside.”

Any fan of 1980s pop culture can’t possibly forget the “He-Man and The Masters of the Universe” cartoon series. Skeletor was the main villain, and easily one of the most entertaining of that era. He was also known for being shredded with muscles, fair competition to the great hero of the series himself.

That the coaches saw visions of him when watching Iyiegbuniwe play and workout? It’s hard not to feel a jolt of happy energy thinking about it. Here’s hoping that the young linebacker ends up thriving in Chicago. It would give announcers an excuse to use that nickname on Sundays. Who wouldn’t want to hear the phrase by Jeff Joniak, “Aaron Rodgers brought down for the sack by Skeletor.”

Wendell Carter Jr., Chandler Hutchison Throw Out First Pitch, White Sox Screw Up Their Names

By
Aldo Soto
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It must be an exciting time for the newest members of the Chicago Bulls, as first-round draft picks Wendell Carter Jr. and Chandler Hutchison are getting acclimated to the city.

There was a lot of criticism tossed toward the Bulls’ front office for their safe pick of Carter Jr. out of Duke with the seventh overall pick, but that doesn’t mean fans don’t want to see him and Hutchison succeed in Chicago. They will obviously try to make a name for themselves, as the Bulls continue to rebuild and hopefully they accomplish that.

Until then, it appears that no one will care about double-checking how to spell their names.

Before Tuesday night’s game at Guaranteed Rate Field, the White Sox had the two Bulls’ rookies in attendance to throw out the ceremonial first pitch.

One problem.

As both players were being introduced, their names were incorrectly spelled on the video board.

C’mon guys!

Yet, it’s something Bulls fans should be used to. Remember last year during the summer league when this happened?

Summer League Update: Bulls Don’t Know How To Spell Their Own Player’s Name

Let’s hope that the Bulls don’t make the same mistake again this year, seeing as the White Sox have already taken the lead in that department.

By the way, anyone else notice this?

Did Wendell need to show his ID to prove who he was? No wonder they didn’t spell his name right.

Cubs Dealing With Another Injury, Place Kris Bryant On DL

By
Aldo Soto
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Chicago Cubs' Kris Bryant is hit by a pitch from St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Jaime Garcia during the fifth inning of a baseball game Monday, June 20, 2016, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

Much of the success to the 2016 Chicago Cubs is that they didn’t have to deal with many injuries. Dexter Fowler missed some time in June, while Hector Rondon and Pedro Strop each landed on the DL late in the year. The 2018 Cubs just can’t seem to escape the injury bug, as another one of their star players will be out.

Prior to Tuesday’s game against the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Cubs placed Bryant on the DL with a shoulder issue. Bryant has been struggling at the plate for a few weeks and the shoulder injury might be a reason why. Before Tuesday, Bryant didn’t play for three straight games.

The Cubs made a couple more moves, as relief pitcher Justin Hancock was put on the DL as well and starting pitcher Duane Underwood, who made his MLB debut Monday, was optioned to Iowa.

Taking their places on the Cubs’ 25-man roster are David Bote, Luke Farrell and Dillon Maples.

Bote’s been up a few times with the Cubs already this season, playing in eight games. Farrell returns, but maybe the biggest move aside from Bryant going on the disabled list is the call up of Maples.

This guy has flat out nasty stuff. Cubs fans saw a glimpse of his greatness at the major league level last year, but they also saw his biggest issue: command problems.

The stuff is plenty good to get MLB hitters out, though.

In 2017, Maples struck out 11 batters in 5.1 innings with the Cubs, but also walked six during his six appearances during his first MLB stint. So far in 2018, Maples has 42 strikeouts in 25.1 innings. However, his walks have remained higher than you want, 24, moving his WHIP up to 1.54, despite batters only hitting .170 off of him.

There’s no doubt Maples has an electric repertoire of pitches, but the control has to be at least average for him to be successful. Hopefully he can give the Cubs’ bullpen a boost, as Brandon Morrow and Carl Edwards Jr. are still on the DL.

One final note, the Cubs currently have a spot open on their 40-man roster.

Hmmm, maybe a trade coming?

Or a potential signing?!?!

I kid, I kid.

But the Cubs could use some help in the bullpen.

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