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WATCH: Gruden, Raiders Serenade Nelson For Birthday, Fumble Tune

We all know Jon Gruden is excitable. Sometimes, he can be downright child-like. One thing we can now be sure of is that Coach Chucky is not going to be opening up a lounge act any time soon. Neither will the rest of the Raiders squad. We got our first taste of their singing skills today, when they serenaded new Raiders wide receiver Jordy Nelson for his birthday. Andrea Bocelli, they are not.

Perhaps the new punter can sing? Perhaps fifth round draft pick and Florida standout Johnny Townsend has some hidden talent. Punters usually have the most angelic of singing voices. Sebastian Janikowski’s voice was like a cross between Fergie and, well, you know the rest. Check out the video below and see if you’d hire these future Las Vegans to sing at your wedding…

Yeah, me neither. Well, maybe there are better options for your wedding singer. I don’t mean to be pushy, but let me recommend Jimmie Moore. He’s a hit with the ladies! I included his demo reel in the below video. Give him a call, if Gruden or Robbie Hart is unavailable.

Greatest Save Of The Year? Puhhh-lease!

With 1:59 remaining in the third period of last night’s Stanley Cup Final against the Washington Capitals, Vegas Golden Knights right winger Alex Tuch appeared to have scored a dramatic game-tying goal to keep their hopes of a comeback win alive, or so fans inside and outside T-Mobile thought.

If you were out in the Toshiba Plaza or in The Park watching the game on the big screens, you were losing your mind. The “GOAL” graphic was flashing on the outside of T-Mobile Arena, people were screaming in celebration, embracing the person next to them with hugs and high fives. Everybody broke out into the traditional “GO KNIGHTS GO” chant. It was ecstasy, and not the kind you can easily find at EDC.

But that’s when reality cued Steve Harvey to bring us some bad news.

There was no goal, just an empty feeling in your gut that made people drop old and new four-letter words to take the sting away. The kind of internal, soul-devouring pain someone feels after being told they were going to be carrying the Olympic torch through their home city, only to be told their job is to actually run backwards, naked, through a dry cornfield.

How could this be? How did Vegas not score? Well, two reasons.

Reason No. 1 is simple. Caps goalie Braden Holtby’s glove and stick were in the right place at the right time. Don’t get me wrong. Was it an athletic move? Hell yes it was. Holtby’s bottom half was going one way while his top half was going the other. The New York Times quoted Washington Capitals center Jay Beagle, who said the stop was “The save of the year! Maybe the save of a lifetime.”

Former Capitals goaltender Olie Kolzig, took to twitter last night to rave about such an athletic play.

Hogwash.

It seems as if Olie Kolzig has selective memory, given how many great saves this league has seen over the past 100 years, but we’lll get into that later. Everybody just needs to slow down and take a breath for a minute. Let’s not all be prisoners of the moment. It always seems that the last thing we as sports fans see is “the best of all times.” Everything is “the greatest ever,” which is why arguments like this, or the MJ-LeBron debate is sadly humorous. Hyperbole to the extreme. He fell. His stick was down. Puck didn’t go in, plain and simple.

Reason No. 2 was Alex Tuch getting absolutely no elevation on the puck whatsoever. At best, the puck came two inches off the ice when it hit Holtby’s glove. Holtby was already in full extension before Tuch ever releases the puck off his stick. If the puck gets any type of elevation off Tuch’s stick, we are headed to overtime. Of course the bums in Washington felt it was something worth cheering for.

When you go back and watch the replay for the 56th time, as I have, you see certain factors, such as Cody Eakin’s beautiful pass to setup Tuch’s wrist shot. You can visibly see roughly 98 percent of the net is wide open. Then you see Alex Tuch put the puck in the tiny two percent of the net Holtby is actually protecting. This was a Tuch miss more than a Holtby save.

Greatest save you’ve ever seen? Greatest save of the season? The net was so wide open even Alex Ovechkin’s reaction was priceless! Ovechkin was sitting on the bench with his gloves covering his face trying to figure out how Tuch didn’t put it in the back of the net.

Either way, it didn’t go in and the series is knotted up at one game apiece. It’s a five-game series for a shot at glory and a place in hockey history forever. It’s just too bad some have to ruin a good moment with overstatement. I mean, it’s not even close to the show Golden Knights god Marc-Andre Fleury put on against the Winnipeg Jets late in Game 3 with the Knights up, 3-2.

As for better saves…well there is a long list. I don’t even have to go back that far to prove it wasn’t the best save of the year. Fleury’s robbery of Logan Couture in overtime against the San Jose Sharks in Game 3 of the second round. That glove save, which he made on his ass, that is what I call “the save of the year.”

Now we head east to Washington D.C. where the Knights will be looking to take home ice back with a road victory. The biggest in Knights history? No hyperbole here: The answer would be a resounding “yes!”

Anthony Miller Laughed at His ESPN Projected Fantasy Stats

ryan pace

It’s not taking long for rookie wide receiver Anthony Miller to become a fan favorite. The Chicago Bears second round pick is already a prominent personality on Twitter. He actually wrote an article to NFL GMs prior to the draft explaining what he could do for them. He’s even posted videos of his pass-catching prowess and been caught wearing Michael Jordan T-shirts. The kid certainly knows how to make an impression.

Of course he knows fans won’t really embrace him unless he proves it on the field. That’s just the way it is. Proving himself is something he’s done his entire life so he’s ready for the challenge. He welcomes it. This might explain why he comes across as one might call “cocky.” Don’t be deceived though. It’s more just a simple faith in what he can do.

Miller knows what his strengths and weaknesses are. He works tirelessly to maximize the former while hiding the latter. His performance at Memphis speaks for itself. The numbers were video game levels. After such a run of success, often against good opponents, it’d be easy to understand his self-assurance.

So when ESPN offered their projections for his rookie season, he wasn’t having it.

Anthony Miller promises to be all about that end zone

 

“TMR: 52 receptions, 657 yards, about four touchdowns … are we wrong?

Miller: Yeah, you got it all wrong.

TMR: Where?

Miller: I always find the end zone. Four? That’s too low. That’s like two games for me. I just think I’m going to score at least eight touchdowns.”

It’s amusing that Miller didn’t take exception to the entire stat line. Most confident players probably would’ve corrected the entire thing. Instead, the only thing that irked him was, naturally, the most important stat of all in the touchdowns. One can understand why too. Miller scored 37 touchdowns in three seasons for Memphis. That included 14 and 18 respectively over the final two.

He’s not lying about being able to find the end zone. He’s put stacks and stacks of proof on tape. That he believes he’ll do more of the same in the NFL is not arrogance. It remains the same belief that drove him to do what he did over the past three years. All Mitch Trubisky has to do is look for him when the Bears get into the red zone. Odds are the rookie will find some space what with defenses so focused on Allen Robinson and others.

Latest Revelation Completely Destroys Yu Darvish’s Reputation

Newly signed Cubs pitcher Yu Darvish leaves a press conference at Sloan Park during Cubs spring training Tuesday Feb. 13, 2018, in Mesa, Ariz. (Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune via AP)

Whatever was left of Yu Darvish’s already suspect reputation has officially been destroyed.

Earlier today, Sun-Times writer Steve Greenberg released an article that featured current Cubs catcher, and close friend Darvish, Chris Gimenez sharing his thoughts on what may be wrong with the Cubs free-agent pitcher.

Every Cubs fan is well aware of the rocky start Darvish has had with the Cubs in 2018. He’s currently 1-3 with an ERA a shade under five but what is more alarming is the fact that Darvish has more trips to the DL than he does wins.

Darvish first went on the DL in early May with an apparent flu bug. Cubs fans everywhere immediately questioned the legitimacy of the illness since it conveniently fell immediately after he had been rocked in another one of his starts. What it appeared (at least to me) was happening was the Cubs used the flu excuse to possibly work on some mechanical issues and give Darvish a mental break from the Chicago media.

His most recent trip the DL will probably take up his next two starts and although the MRI results were promising showing no structural damage in his pitching arm, Darvish has other concerns to go along with the tendinitis in his right triceps.

Gimenez spoke with Greenberg and revealed some pretty interesting things that may be plaguing Darvish, and none of them are physical ailments.

“I think he thinks that Chicago hates him for going on the DL a couple of times,” Gimenez said.

Gimenez also shared that Darvish seemed to be upset with some things he read on the glorious website, twitter.com.

“He reads Twitter. He reads all that stuff,” Gimenez said. “We all do. Honestly, I know it upsets him — and rightfully so.”

Ok, so here’s my thing.

If I’m a multi-millionaire athlete that just landed a $126 million dollar contract, I could give two shits about what fans thought about me. Being boo’d and blasted on social media is part of the territory that comes with being a professional athlete and while I’ll never be one, I’d have a simple response for every fan that had a problem with my performance on the field.

via GIPHY

Seriously though. For a guy who already has a ‘soft’ label attached to him, whether it’s fair or not, your friend telling the vultures in Chicago media that you think fans hate you and tweets upset you has officially destroyed any reputation you thought you’d create.

Bottom line is this — I’ll stand behind Yu until he leaves the Cubs. I hope he shines in every single one of his starts and can be a big part of what the Cubs want to do this year and in the future. With that said, I also think it’s fair to say that the majority of Cubs fans are highly disappointed in Darvish’s performance thus far and the criticisms from those same fans HAVE to go in one ear and out the other if I’m Darvish.

It also doesn’t help that former Cubs pitcher Jake Arrieta appears to be back to his old Cy Young form with his new team.

So my advice to Yu is this: toughen up, forget about the idiot fans that blast you every single day, get yourself healthy, enjoy your $126 million bones and for the love of God, pitch the way every Cubs fan knows you can!

Jordan Howard Explains How Deep Matt Nagy Is Going to Help Him

jordan howard trade

Everybody knows why Matt Nagy was hired. His job, aside from making the Chicago Bears a winner, is to turn Mitch Trubisky into a franchise quarterback. That’s 70% of the reason Ryan Pace sought out his services. His history as a quarterback in his playing days and superb work with Alex Smith in Kansas City show this is a job he can do.

However, the quarterback is only as good as the pieces around him. That’s why the Bears spent wildly in free agency and the draft on guys like Allen Robinson, Taylor Gabriel, Trey Burton and Anthony Miller. They want to give Trubisky as many weapons as possible. This also includes the making the weapons he already had better.

Chief among them is Jordan Howard. Already a Pro Bowler with two 1,000-yard seasons under his belt, Howard is still growing as a player and leader in Chicago. Yet there was a brief fear Nagy might try to usher him out due to his not being a natural fit for the new offensive scheme. The coach has since denounced such rumors.

He has a vision for what Howard can be in his system, and is even taking extra time and effort to make it a reality.

Howard says Matt Nagy is taking a personal interest in fixing his biggest issue

The one complaint that led to the Howard trade rumors in the first place was his penchant for dropping passes. He’s done so 12 times over his first two seasons. Given how much Nagy likes to throw the ball to the backs, this presents a problem. So there were two choices. Find somebody to replace Howard or work to see if they could improve his receiving prowess.

Nagy chose the latter and seems to have undertaken the job personally according to Howard.

“He throws the ball to me himself. He helps me work on my [catching].”

It’s easy to pick on Howard for his drop issues, and also fair. That said it’s not like he’s totally incapable of being a receiver out of the backfield. In two years he’s caught 52 passes for 423 yards and a touchdown. So it’s not that he can’t catch. It is a matter of making sure he catches consistently.

As for his overall role in the offense, Nagy didn’t change much from what’s been the case almost since Howard was drafted.

“He already said I’m going to be the main guy.”

This comes as no shock. Howard is one of the best running backs in football from a pure running standpoint. If the Bears can get him involved in the passing game, that will make it even harder for defenses to stop what they try to do moving forward. Howard is 23-years old and has such a bright career still ahead of him. With Nagy guiding the way, there’s no telling how much better he can get.

No-Fun Police Can’t Take The Shine Off VGK Pregame Show

When the NHL officially decided on Las Vegas as home for its next expansion franchise, many in the NHL snobbery elite were upset. They whined about hockey in the desert and about how the city wasn’t ready or deserving of pro sports. With those concerns null and void as Vegas Golden Knights head into Game 2 of the Stanley Final Saturday, salty sore loser fans from around the league have found a new point of emphasis to whine about: the Knights’ pregame show.

Since on-ice player performance is hard to criticize, TV ratings and attendance records are being shattered every game, and the tin foil hat-wearing, NOFX-fan conspiracy theorists barking Alex Jones-style about the NHL “fixing” the season so Vegas can win can finally be filed away as nutbags, there’s not much more to complain about. Well, almost.

In a city built on over-the-top theatrical productions that make Broadway look like community theatre, you’d be a moron to think it wouldn’t be anything other than a giant production. We have Cirque du Soleil, Penn & Teller, Elton John, Absinthe, David Copperfield, Criss Angel and hundreds of other world-famous performing acts. We have at least five music festivals calling Vegas home.

Nobody does it like Vegas does.

What do you have, Detroit? Insane Clown Posse. Chicago? R-Kelly. Boston? Well, um, Boston. Toronto and Montreal? Well, you’re Canadian so I guess reruns of SCTV. Only New Yorkers have any right to whine about the pregame show, but — if our counterparts in The Empire State do complain — it’s more than likely jealousy Vegas puts on better Broadway productions at The Smith Center than Broadway does itself.

In the words of “The Interview” actor Randall Park as Kim Jong-un: They hate us, cause they ain’t us.” Check out some of these venomous rants regarding our hometown theatrics.

Some even like to lump it in with the conspiracy theory the NHL loaded the dice for Vegas so the Knights would win, or the revisionist take that this team of unwanted, disposable misfits was somehow actually coveted by their own teams before they threw them out like yesterday’s trash a year ago in the expansion draft, and — because of the theatrics — Tom Wilson’s thuggery is somehow acceptable because of a swordfight on ice.

With hot takes like that, I guess it’s pretty obvious why Mr. Yeprem currently lists himself on his Twitter handle as a “non-employed sports personality.” His words, not mine. While whiny sore losers take to social media, in between naps and recess, many people understand the beauty in making the pregame festivities in the mold of the “Vegas Style.”

Hell, with Vegas setting the standard, fans of the next expansion team in Seattle have their sights set on something even more epic. They’re clamoring for Davy Jones to call out The Kraken to feast on opponents. The Kraken? How disrespectful to this time-honored game.

Even scholars are weighing in on the historical accuracy of this epic pregame spectacle. Ohio University medievalism professor Kevin Uhalde weighed in during an interview with Slate’s Rebecca Onion in this recent interview.

“There’s nothing strange or new about it, in and of itself, and I like the extra-messy medievalism where people are mixing up different stuff — really mixing up their own notion of what is medieval,” he said. “There are at least two different kinds of medievalism going on in this one. The most obvious one is the chivalry — which is, when I teach anywhere from 50–100 students a course in medieval history in film and literature, chivalry is what everyone says medievalism is.”

Just don’t understand the vitriol directed towards a pregame intro that isn’t much more over-the-top than Nashville’s pregame. I mean, it could be worse. It could be the ridiculously terrible 2018 All-Star Game introduction with Kevin Hart.

However you feel, it’ll be interesting to see Washington try to top the standard the Golden Knights and T-Mobile Arena has set. Hard to top something so epic in produced in the newest and most technologically advanced arena in all of pro sports. Who knows? Maybe they’ll have Donald Trump bungee down from the rafters while Nancy Pelosi does a chicken dance to a song sung by one of the countless congressional songbirds in DC. I’m sure they’re holding tryouts as we speak…

Ozzie Guillen Not Sure About Tim Anderson’s Future At Shortstop

Today, Ozzie Guillen made some comments about Tim Anderson’s fielding ability, saying he is unsure whether or not Tim can succeed at Shortstop.

Ozzie does have a point. Tim Anderson has struggled and has not been the defensive presence Sox fans thought he would be, but it’s still not to late to turn it around. As of today, Tim ranks first in the MLB in errors committed by the shortstop with 10. And with a .954% fielding percentage, he is towards the bottom of the list of everyday shortstops.

Ozzie says Tim needs more experience, and what a better time than right now to get that experience. The White Sox aren’t going to win anything this year and it’s the perfect time to let him get his reps and learn from his mistakes. If you are an avid White Sox fan and you watch every game you see that Tim has the potential to become a defensive force at the shortstop position. Anderson can make the flashy plays but it seems like he commits errors on the routine plays by over thinking it.

Now, the man Ozzie related Tim Anderson too. Shawon Dunston. Here are some fielding stats from his first four years in the league with the Chicago Cubs.

YearAgeTmPosLgGGSCGInnChPOAEDPFld%RtotRtot/yrRF/9RF/GlgFld%lgRF9lgRFGAwards
198522CHCSSNL737155599.24091442481739.958005.885.37.9634.884.88
198623CHCSSNL1491481371312.28173204653296.961-4-35.385.27.9634.754.76
198724CHCSSNL949281805.04451602711454.969-5-84.824.59.9654.724.69
198825CHCSSNL1511501311288.27322574552076.973-6-64.974.72.9674.634.64AS

 

As you can see above, Dunston’s first three years in the league he struggled, committing a ton of errors and having a lackluster fielding percentage. Though through those first three years, his fielding percentage went up and he improved by earning himself an All-Star nod in 1988. The point is, the Cubs let the man play his game and he started to improve with time, and as Ozzie said experience.

YearAgeTmPosLgGGSCGInnChPOAEDPFld%RtotRdrsRtot/yrRdrs/yrRF/9RF/GlgFld%lgRF9lgRFGAwards
201623CHWSSAL989796859.24001422441450.96516284.043.94.9764.174.13RoY-7
201724CHWSSAL1451451431264.05881973632885.952-13-8-12-83.993.86.9754.094.04
201825CHWSSAL515151450.0218771311029.954-30-804.164.08.9723.813.80

 

Above is Tim Anderson’s career numbers. Similar to Dunston, Tims numbers are improving this year, at least fielding percentage wise. Tim is currently on pace to have 24 errors which would be down from last year but still isn’t what he or any White Sox fans want.

The last topic to talk about is that Ozzie said Tim would be better in the outfield. Well, this just doesn’t make sense, especially if you want Tim Anderson to be with the team long-term. Down in the minors, the White Sox have elite outfielders waiting to be called up and prove their worth.

Just to name a few of them:

Eloy Jimenez, Luis Robert, Blake Rutheford, Micker Adolfo, and Ryan Cordell.

Though Tim is having shortcomings on the defensive side of the ball, his bat is alive and better than ever.

201825CHWAL5220718928476111201211749.249.311.466.77611388701006

 

Tim is one of three MLB players to have double-digit home runs and stolen bases. The other two? Mookie Betts and Mike Trout. That is some elite company. Anderson is on pace for a 30HR-30SB year and 3.9 WAR.

The point is, the White Sox are rebuilding. There will be growing pains. Tim Anderson has the athleticism and the IQ to improve at shortstop. If Tim can improve on the defensive end like he has improved on the offensive end, this conversation won’t last long.

Kevin White Revealed Something That Shocked Many in Bears Practice

kevin white

Chicago Bears fans have heard the Kevin White narrative a lot the past few months. It’s hard to know where the team stands on the former first round pick. Head coach Matt Nagy and quarterback Mitch Trubisky have remained supportive as he tries to recover from three-straight seasons where he ended up on Injured Reserve. His entire career covers just five games.

Most are starting to assume his future on the roster is bleak. The Bears invested a ton of money (Allen Robinson and Taylor Gabriel) and two draft picks (Anthony Miller and Javon Wims) into the receiving corps. This leaves White in an awkward spot. His fifth-year option was not picked up. So the best way for him to rescue his roster position is by playing well in 2018.

That’s a lot to ask at this point given the injury history. Yet a slight buzz has begun building over at Halas Hall. As the team goes through OTA and minicamp practices, something has changed with White. John Mullin of NBC Chicago took note of it almost right away.

Kevin White appears to have regained his elite speed

“White’s straight-ahead deep speed was flat-out startling, the first time this very graceful athlete looked like the one who ran 4.35 at the ’15 Combine. Not necessarily quickness (he’s 6-3, 216 pounds; “quick” is for another discussion). But just raw speed. Using one snap for illustration, White simply ran up to and by a cornerback (whose identity is being protected here) who’d started with a seven-yard cushion, White visibly accelerating with each stride and pulling away from deep-safety help.”

One of the biggest reasons the Bears fell in love with White was his ridiculous potential. A 6’3 behemoth who could take the top off a defense? Such things are rare in the NFL. Unfortunately, they never got a chance to see it. The obvious reason was that he suffered two broken legs in 2015 and 2016. It’s easy to forget that those injuries have now had over a year to completely heal.

Nobody outside the building really knew what his status was. Nobody, it seems, except the man throwing him the football. Trubisky seemed to delight in taking advantage of the surprise by bombing the defense into submission.

“The second-year quarterback went into missile-launch mode with White more than once, interspersed with White driving hard into his break and creating separation on out and slants. The intriguing side element here is, that within all the run-pass-option stuff, the West Coast schematics and so forth, Matt Nagy and this staff appear to know what they might be sitting on.

This about this for a second.

The Bears just got done adding a former Pro Bowler in Robinson, vertical threat in Gabriel and a slot savant in Miller. That looks like the makings of a lethal trio if they live up their billing. So try to imagine if the light suddenly goes on for White and he starts playing like the first rounder he was. Trubisky would have so many ways to attack a defense it would almost seem unfair.

There’s a long way to go. White may look unbeatable in shorts but his problems usually surface when the pads go on. Can his body hold up this time around? There will be lots of proving to do over the next few months.

WATCH: Did The Pirates Just Try To Get Revenge For Anthony Rizzo’s Slide?

Benches cleared during tonight’s Cubs/Pirates game after Pirates pitcher, Joe Musgrove, slid hard into second baseman Javier Baez. Tonight’s slide comes on the heels of Anthony Rizzo’s questionable slide that took out the back leg of Pirates catcher, Elias Diaz, during Game 1 of the series.

Both slides are hard but I’ll let you be the judge which one (if any) were dirty.

Here’s Rizzo’s from Game 1 of the series.

Here’s Pirates pitcher Joe Musgrove’s slide into Javy Baez from tonight’s game.

Here’s an idea MLB — MAKE THE SLIDE RULES CRYSTAL CLEAR SO WE CAN AVOID HAVING CONVERSATIONS ON WHAT IS DIRTY AND WHAT IS FAIR!

Vic Fangio Made Surprising Name Drop Among Early OTA Standouts

vic fangio

If there’s one thing Chicago Bears fans have learned over the past four years, it’s that Vic Fangio is never a boring quote. The guy doesn’t beat around the bush. He seems to take that George Patton moniker to heart. “Give it to ’em loud and dirty. That way they’ll remember it.” He’s up front and often blunt with his answers. That’s why fans and reporters alike love him.

He was in top form again during his press conference during team OTAs. Most of his answers were of the typical ilk. He provided an update on Leonard Floyd who is expected to return by training camp. At the same time, Fangio offered what could be called a lukewarm assessment of the current group of pass rushers.

On Roquan Smith he made it clear that the rookie will not be handed the starting job. He’ll have to earn it but admitted he was immediately taken by the young linebacker’s speed and intelligence. However, it was when he began to talk about players who’ve impressed him so far in practices that he delivered a surprising nugget.

Vic Fangio has taken notice of safety Deon Bush

The quote came when the conversation centered around the rookie class. Fangio understood why people wanted to talk about them but he was quick to remind everyone that a number of the veterans were coming along as well. He singled out Danny Trevathan above all. Last season the linebacker didn’t participate much in camps or preseason and Fangio feels that hampered his performance in 2017. This time around he’s getting solid work in.

Then, out of the blue, he dropped a second name.

Now there’s a name most people never would’ve expected to hear again. Deon Bush was starting to look like a lost cause. The former fourth round pick out of Miami in 2016 was considered a project. He had plenty of raw talent but suffered from several issues with his fundamentals and his awareness. Many weren’t sure if he’d ever get it figured out.

The past two years haven’t done much to change that. In 24 games Bush has 24 tackles and a pass defense. He’s yet to make any significant impact plays. It didn’t seem like his roster spot was assured this year. Based on what Fangio is saying the 24-year old safety has made significant strides since the end of last season.

Keep in mind this man doesn’t throw around compliments often. So for him to single out Bush like that is significant, and all the more reason to want training camp and preseason to get here faster.