This offseason, the Buffalo Bills joined a long list cataloguing teams who’ve experimented with rugby players at the professional football level. However, they may ascend past all other teams this preseason as perhaps the first club to ever pull off the feat at a successful level.

Christian Wade joined the Bills for offseason workouts this summer to subject himself to the transition rather than sticking to rugby, the sport that made him famous across the pond. Wade, who currently holds the third-highest spot for most points scored at the Premiership Rugby level, brought the same competitiveness that he illustrated throughout his rugby career to Buffalo during their inaugural preseason bout.

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After taking a handoff from Tyree Jackson during the fourth quarter of Thursday night’s 24-16 win over the Indianapolis Colts, Wade first dodged a blitz before executing between his tackles, and next burst out onto the open field and left a crowd of Colts jerseys far behind him as he crossed the goal line. Remarkably, it only took one touch for Wade to find success, as the touchdown run came on his very first rushing opportunity. Although the game’s meaninglessness caused his run to loose some gravity, it certainly contributed to the victorious effort from the team, as the scoreboard eventually flashed a 24–16 winning tally for the Bills while the clock ran down.

“I knew where I was going even before the ball came because they overloaded one side,” stated Wade while reflecting on his run after the game. “Then as soon as I got the ball I was off to the races. I was looking up at the screen to see if any of the linebackers or anyone was coming up behind me.”

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As a rugby player, Wade played as a winger for the Wasps RFC. He also participated at the international level, as he momentarily joined the English National Team during two separate occasions.

Although Wade surely impressed Buffalo’s coaching staff with his crowd-detonating play, multiple hurdles still lie before him as he aims to secure a roster spot. With a running back staff already loaded with players, including former All–Pro LeSean McCoy, third–round pick Devin Singletary, former starter T.J. Yeldon and a potential future Hall of Famer in Frank Gore, Wade certainly needs more performances that similarly reflect his on Thursday night to solidify himself on the team.

Look for Wade to carry his momentum into the team’s next preseason affair against the Carolina Panthers during the following week.

No more than a few weeks ago, Philadelphia 76ers point guard Ben Simmons cashed in after signing a five-year, $170 million contract to stay with Philly. Although money no longer appears as a subject for Simmons to worry about, the manner in which he spends said money appeared somewhat more difficult for him than expected, as Simmons recently criticized a Melbourne casino he attended for its alleged racial profiling.

According to Simmons, after he entered the casino with his friends, some clerks proceeded to excessively check two African Americans and Simmons himself for their IDs, while simultaneously neglecting to apply the same excessive treatment toward their fourth friend, who was white. Simmons stated that the entire ordeal left him feeling “uncomfortable.”

In order to further illustrate his displeasure, Simmons used Instagram to attack the casino by releasing a video in which Simmons explained how everything played out and in which he mentioned his confusion as to why some of his friends required further inspection than others. Although Simmons quickly deleted the post, he proceeded to tweet out his reaction and continued to voice his resentment for the casino, while also stating his intent to continue calling out injustices such as the one which he believed himself to fall victim to.

The casino combatted Simmons’ attacks with its own statement shortly afterwards, in which it simply highlighted its policy to routinely check anyone’s ID who might appear younger than 25.

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Aside from arguing with suspected racially insensitive casinos, Simmons has spent his summer mainly working on his craft, with rumors even detailing him adding a long-awaited jump-shot to his basketball arsenal. Simmons even declined an invitation to the FIBA World Cup, thus clearly illustrating his intent to focus on his role with the 76ers, as most expect the team to challenge other squads for an NBA title this year.

Although freshman quarterback Trevor Lawrence hoisted the College Football Playoff trophy last January after Clemson won its third national title this decade, another quarterback ignited the team’s championship run, helping them to win their schedule’s first four games. That quarterback, Kelly Bryant, only now seems as perhaps the most forgotten piece to ever contribute towards a championship, as head coach Dabo Swinney proceeded to solidify the team’s neglect for him, omitting from giving him a championship ring.

“He wasn’t on the team. You’ve gotta be on the team to get a ring,” reasoned Swinney earlier this week when asked about the situation.

After loosing his job to Lawrence, Kelly transferred to University of Missouri halfway through last season, well before the team went on to defeat Alabama and retake their championship throne. Although managing to avoid a wasted season stowed away on Clemson’s bench behind Lawrence, Kelly  vacated his eligibility to play during the postseason due to his decision to transfer halfway through the season, rather than at the end.

During Bryant’s four games as the starting quarterback he threw for 461 yards while also adding 130 rush yards. Bryant’s most impressive game came against a tough Texas A&M team, where Bryant went 12–17 and eclipsed 205 yards en route to a 28–26 road victory. However, after impressing with a four touchdown performance after coming in against Georgia Tech just weeks later, Swinney chose to name Lawrence as the team’s starter. From that point on, Lawrence never looked back, leading his team to another championship and promptly earning a “best player in college football” reputation.

Carrying a typically likable and player–friendly personality, this move from Swinney to deprive Kelly seems a bit uncharacteristically harsh from the reigning ACC Coach of the Year. However, the move also illustrated Swinney’s appreciation for those who remain committed to their team, potentially serving to teach a lesson to all colligate athletes.

With the ringless Bryant existing as just a distant memory, Clemson begins its next quest to add even more jewelry just a few weeks from now, commencing their season with a matchup against Georgia Tech in Death Valley.

The re–vamped Cleveland Browns will go on without running back Duke Johnson next season, as the team exchanged his services with the Houston Texans for conditional fourth round pick during next year’s draft.

Last year, Johnson saw his workload decrease rapidly, carrying the ball just 40 times for 201 yards while failing to reach the endzone at all. However, Johnson posted the highest yards per–carry mark across the entire league last year at 7.2 YPC. However, even after inking a three–year deal with Cleveland last summer, his depth chart positioning behind second year man Nick Chubb and eventually Kareem Hunt ruptured the relationship between Johnson and the Browns, leading to eventual his trade request.

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Browns head coach Freddie Kitchens offered his best wishes and mentioned his appreciation for Johnson as a he stated, “Duke was a good football player. He is a good football player. It’s hard to let good football players go. But we did what was best for the organization and the Cleveland Browns. We wish Duke nothing but the best.”

Quarterback Baker Mayfield formerly expressed his displeasure for Johnson during the summer’s early days. However, Mayfield categorized his relationship with Johnson since as “good.”

Still tied to his contract until the 2021 season, Johnson now awaits a second chance with the Texans. Although Lamar Miller still stands as the likely candidate to maintain the team’s starting running back duties, Johnson likely eyes a chance to serve as the team’s secondary rusher or potentially a role as a third–down back. As a prominent pass–catching back as well, look for Johnson to add into the Houston’s air strike offensive capabilities as a target for quarterback Deshaun Watson.

Joining stars such as DeAndre Hopkins and  J.J. Watt  as well, Jonson now stands by for a chance to make the playoffs for the first time in his career with Houston.

Although you might not see your dad’s favorite baseball players trotting out to the diamond out in Iowa as the MLB takes up Kevin Costner‘s role by constructing a playing venue at the famous Field Of Dreams site, you might see Aaron Judge, Jose Abreu, Giancarlo Stanton or James McCann instead.

This week, the MLB announced its plans to schedule a matchup between the New York Yankees and Chicago White Sox at the 1989 film’s location in Dyersville, Iowa during the 2020 season.

Playing host to what appears to be a game with baseball’s already nostalgic feeling maxed out to a level never-experienced before, an 8,000 seat stadium begins its construction this Tuesday, sitting just a few yards from the actual field built for the movie. The plans for the temporary stadium also include a right field wall built with windows, making the trademark cornfields surrounding the ballpark visible to all.

“As a sport that is proud of its history linking generations, Major League Baseball is excited to bring a regular-season game to the site of Field of Dreams,” exclaimed MLB commissioner Rob Manfred. “We look forward to celebrating the movie’s enduring message of how baseball brings people together at this special cornfield in Iowa.”

Both teams publicly expressed their excitement surrounding the game. Yankees skipper Aaron Boone called the commercials advertising the future game “great.” Boone also suggested that Costner and James Earl Jones joins the teams on the field prior to the game’s start to throw out the first pitch.

Meanwhile, White Sox chairman jerry Reinsdorf mentioned his love for the film and proceeded to thank the MLB for honoring his team with the opportunity to participate. The movie heavily features the White Sox, as the Costner meets multiple players from the 1919 Chicago White Sox team which infamously lost the fist ever World Series intentionally for gambling purposes. Costner frequently speaks with his dad’s favorite player and legendary outfielder “Shoeless” Joe Jackson throughout the story.

Ticket prices for the event remain undetermined. However, most expect them to reach an incredibly high demand, certainly giving new relevance to film’s famous line “people will most definitely come.”

While neglecting the tempting urge to over–hype players who dazzle during the NFL’s preseason remains a less popular practice as competitive play still awaits, rookie quarterbacks Daniel Jones and Kyler Murray certainly baited their team’s fanbases with their impressive play during their debuts Thursday night.

Kicking off their preseason campaign with their “roommates” at MetLife Stadium, the New York Giants sent out Jones to face the New York Jets. Jones entered the game after veteran and expected starter Eli Manning played a singular series where the he completed just one pass for three yards while the team failed to pick up a first down.

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Exciting a crowd accustomed to exceedingly disappointing play over the last few seasons, Jones marched the Giants down the field with ease, going a perfect 5/5 passing while capping things off with perfect throw to Bennie Fowler in the endzone. Although a great deal remains undetermined about Jones and his potential to one day ascend to the starting role, the Duke product certainly showed promise, not quite silencing but perhaps quieting his doubters going forward. Giants fans reigned boos all over Jones after New York controversially spend the sixth overall pick on him during the NFL draft just a few months ago.

The young quarterback humbly commented after the game, “I think overall I did some good things… missed a couple of things, could have been a little bit better with a couple of things, so I’ll focus on that.” Jones sat out the rest of the game following his head–turning series.

Although the first overall pick failed to meet the excessive criticism which the New York media initially threw at Jones, Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray diluted any skeptics regarding his skills on Thursday night as well.

In a short yet effective stint, Murray went 6/7 passing, illustrating the accuracy which allowed him to hoist a Heisman Trophy last year while tallying up an admirable 44 yards. Attacking with both short throws and run–option plays, Murray appeared to wield the Arizona offense quite comfortably. While playing only one series, Murray finished with a noteworthy 92.9 passer rating.

“I thought it was smooth. I was anxious to get out there, move around and throw it a little bit,” stated Murray. “I really just tried to execute whatever Coach called, and I think we did that for the most part.”

Murray and the Cardinals next play the Oakland Raiders for their second preseason bout, while Jones and Big Blue await a visit from the Chicago Bears.

With any player rankings, fierce rebuttals and criticisms almost always follow up and generate discussion. ESPN endured perhaps the largest amount of backlash all year this week after placing NBA legend Kobe Bryant on an all–decade third team.

After arguing that Bryant’s prime took place during the years outside the current decade — as he won four out of his five championships during the decade prior — ESPN ranked several other players with far less accolades ahead of Bryant. Steph Curry, James Harden, LeBron James, Kevin Durant, and Kawhi Leonard all finished ahead Bryant as they assembled to form the all–decade first team. Also achieving a higher status than Bryant, the second team included Chris Paul, Russell Westbrook, Anthony Davis, Blake Griffin, and Carmelo Anthony. 

The always-entertaining NBA Twitter sphere quickly jumped all over the rankings. Although most fans casted off the teams as a simply lame attempt to disrespect Bryant’s legacy, the network contrarily defending the rankings, including famous Lakers fan and ESPN host Max Kellerman. 

Although Bryant’s statistics indeed fell off as he played deeper into his career, the “black mamba” — who will be 41 later this month — still averaged an impressive 27.9 points, 5.1 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game while playing during the 2010s. Bryant also kicked off the decade by winning an NBA Finals MVP in 2010. Most notably, Bryant also owns more championship rings than any other player listed above him. Bryant retired from the NBA in 2016 after a 20-year-career, the entirety of which he spent with the Lakers.

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Bryant has yet — and frankly remains highly unlikely — to comment on the controversial rankings.

Although Miami Heat fans saw all–time great Dwyane Wade hang up his monumental kicks after last season’s conclusion, another similarly familiar piece reportedly plans to instead return once October rolls around, as veteran forward Udonis Haslem just inked a veteran’s $2.6 million minimum one-year deal to play again for the Heat next season.

Since signing as an undrafted free agent, Haslem played through 17 NBA seasons and even helped the only team wise enough to take a chance on the Florida product win NBA titles in 2006, 2012 and 2013. Haslem’s return now places him among just six other players to spend as many seasons with one franchise. Those players include either current Hall of Fame members or others certain to join them once eligible, such as Dirk Nowitzki (21 with DAL), Kobe Bryant (20 with LAL), Tim Duncan (19 with SAS) , John Stockton (19 with UTA) and Reggie Miller (18 with IND).

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Although last year Haslem played just ten games and averaged only 2.5 points, Heat fans remember him as an effective two–way player during his younger playing days, as he averaged 12 points and and 9 rebounds per game en route to his best campaign during the 2007–08 season.

Matching Riley’s excitement with his own, Haslem tweeted out a picture illustrating the Larry O’Brien trophy, confirming his commitment to Miami. Haslem currently leads holds the rebound title belt above all Miami Heat players, and now gets a chance to not only pile up more boards, but also chase the trophy thanks to the team’s impressive additions this summer such as former Philadelphia 76er Jimmy Butler.

Former NFL receiving champ Josh Gordon is looking to return to the league, therefore he filled out some papers which must seem increasingly familiar to him at this point: paperwork designed to apply for reinstatement to the league.

Gordon, who played in 11 games for the New England Patriots last year before undergoing a substance abuse-related suspension, missed the 2015 and 2016 seasons as well after the NFL banned him for the same reasons while on the Cleveland Browns. Gordon rejoined the Browns two years later for the 2017 season, during which he managed to catch a touchdown and rack up an admirable 335 yards during the five games he played. The next season, Cleveland traded Gordon to New England after Week 1. With Tom Brady throwing to him, Gordon enjoyed his best season since his league–leading 1,646–yard campaign by hauling in 40 catches, three of them as touchdowns, while also surpassing the 700-yard mark for receptions.

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell currently holds the keys with the potential to open a door to lead Gordon back to the gridiron. Goodell issued his concerns regarding Gordon’s overall health outside the game after his suspension last December.

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Goodell stated, “The first thing is to focus on Josh himself as a young man, and what he needs to do to get his life on the right track. That’s what our focus is. We have resources supporting that, and that’s our hope.” Goodell next spoke on Gordon’s goals as he commented, “I think right now, he has had a complete focus on ‘I have to get myself all cleared in the right place before I can get back on the field.”

Gordon’s quarterback also mentioned his good wishes for Gordon going forward. When asked about an offseason catch held between Brady and Gordon, the six–time Super Bowl champ stated, “He was around and I needed someone to catch. I’ve always enjoyed playing with him and obviously, I hope everything works out for him.” Last year, Brady appeared to enjoy a strong connection with Gordon on the field, as the two provided an approach somewhat nostalgic to New England’s extremely successful Brady–to–Randy Moss attack from years prior.

With his application to once again join the NFL fraternity, Gordon appears convinced he’s ready to build things up with Brady once more and with himself as well.

Just this week, Seattle Mariners infielder and utility man Tim Beckham added another page to the MLB’s long novel detailing its struggles pertaining to its players and  performance-enhancing drugs.

Although today’s additions appear minimal in comparison to the chapters etched in by poster boys such as Alex Rodriguez, Barry Bonds and Mark McGwire, Beckham’s actions nevertheless leave yet another stain upon America’s past time.

In response to Beckham’s positive test results, the MLB understandably brought down the hammer by issuing an 80-game unpaid suspension. The substance that raised the red flag above Beckham was a steroid known as Stanozolol.

Beckham managed to direct some blame towards his trainers as he stated, “I was given a product from a trusted source, who had advised me that it was safe to take. Regrettably, the product was tainted.”

However, Beckham still acknowledged his ignorance surrounding the conflict as he continued on, “I accept full responsibility for putting myself in this position. I sincerely apologize to the Mariners’ organization, the fans, my teammates, and my family for this mistake. I look forward to resuming my career once my suspension has been served.”

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After the Tampa Bay Rays drafted Beckham with the first overall pick during the 2008 MLB draft, Beckham enjoyed a stint with the Baltimore Orioles before coming over to Seattle. Beckham, who owns a career .250 batting average, served as a consistent piece for the Mariners, who on the contrary remain firmly below several American League clubs pursuing wild card spots. Although he hit just .237 on the season, Beckham maintained an RBI pace this season, thus poising to break his career-best mark at 62.

With this suspension now fully effective, Beckham must now wait until next season at least to once more pursue this feat, as well as others, for the Mariners.

With the days of Jose Bautista bat flips and Josh Donaldson slugging his way to MVP awards well behind the Toronto Blue Jays, the team continues to pick up its prior squad’s remnants and build a new regime.

Consequently, the club continues to slug on throughout this season, and has been working to simply build a foundation while sitting well outside the playoff picture. Standing in as perhaps this foundation’s most imperative component, rookie Bo Bichette seems destined to steer Toronto back into the win column amid his recent impressive play.

Even after already putting himself into the history books, Bichette contributed to his remarkable .415 batting average since receiving the call up with a double against the Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday night. That double brought Bichette’s extra-base hit total up to ten, making him the first player ever with that many during his first nine games. The hit also tied former first basemen Carlos Delgado‘s record for the longest doubles streak by a Blue Jay, which he set way back during the 2000 season.

Blue Jays manager Charlie Montoyo appears already fully invested in the young star’s stock, as he compared the rookie to legends such as Roberto Clemente and even Babe Ruth. Montoyo noted how Bichette’s numbers appear even more impressive when taking into account the legends unable to reach the height that Bichette continues to surge toward, as he reminded, “There’s a lot of good players that have played this game already … so that’s amazing.”

IN MEMORIAM: SPORTS FIGURES WHO DIED IN 2019 TRIBUTE SLIDESHOW

Bichette now pairs with former No.1 overall prospect Vladimir Guerrero Jr. as the duo appear poised to usher in a new age for the Blue Jays. While failing to enjoy the eye–popping numbers he posted while playing for the Jays’s AAA team, Guerrero Jr. still maintains a respectable .274 batting average and also illustrated his power during the Home Run Derby this year when he proceeded to launch a record–breaking 91 home-run balls into the seats.

With his manager and teammates clearly behind him, look for Bichette to continue his onslaught, as the Jays continue their stretch against AL East rivals such as the Rays and the New York Yankees this week.

Just a few weeks ago the New York Mets sat seven games outside the NL wildcard race, and even after acquiring pitcher Marcus Stroman and his impressive 3.09 ERA, most saw the Mets as simply an afterthought as we inch closer to the playoffs. Flooded with issues often warranting laughs from surrounding clubs, even including an affair which involved a pitcher and manager threatening a reporter with violence after a loss, the Mets’s disappointing narrative for the season already appear printed onto New York newspapers weeks before the season’s end.

However, as the summer transitioned into its final month, something strange happened in the Big Apple’s largest burrow: the Mets started winning. Now riding a 13–1 record during their 14 last contests, the Mets find themselves somehow only 1 game back from the second wild card spot, breathing down the necks of the Philadelphia Phillies, Milwaukee Brewers, and St. Louis Cardinals.

Excelling with the same tool which helped the Mets reach a World Series just four years ago, the starting rotation continues to serve as the main factor behind the Mets push back into contention. Leading the majors with a 2.22 ERA since the All–Star break, the Mets strike fear into all who oppose them while on the mound. With big names playing up to their full potential such as Jacob DeGrom (2.77 ERA), Noah Syndergaard (2.88 ERA in his last ten starts), and Zach Wheeler (4.20 ERA) now allying with Stroman, the rotation offers opposing batters zero wiggle room between starts.

Veteran slugger Todd Frazier applauded his team’s starting pitchers, as he stated earlier this week, “We got five top-dog-caliber guys that any team would want. And they’re gonna put us in a good position every game.”

The rotation’s excellence most importantly masks the team’s largest flaw, their bullpen. As pitchers continue to find success, they manage to go deeper into games, consequently limiting the need for a bullpen staff which leads the NL with a whopping 22 blown saves.

Offensively, the consistent hitting from rookie sensation Pete Alonso continues to propel the Mets, hitting .259 with 37 HRs and 80 RBIs. Outfielder Jeff McNeil deserves recognition as well, leading all hitters with his astounding .340 batting average. Although New York’s bats never fell silent even during the team’s loosing days, their improved pitching which at last appears capable of protecting the leads extended by said bats, helps an exhausted offense certainly accustomed to trailing on the scoreboard and seeing their efforts go wasted.

While this resurgence from the Mets indeed gives fans a reason to cheer for the first time since the season’s earlier days, a heavy workload still lies before this (not to jinx things)  “Miracle Mets pt. 2” show. Up next, New York will put its hot streak to the test, facing the expectation exceeding Washington Nationals before taking on the NL East leading Atlanta Braves.

The Golden State Warriors lost on multiple platforms when the Toronto Raptors dethroned them earlier this summer during the NBA Finals.

Not only did Golden State fail to win their third consecutive title while Kevin Durant simultaneously packed his bags for Brooklyn, but the team also lost Klay Thompson likely for next year’s entire season as he recovers from a torn ACL.

With the team poised to introduce a lineup differing tremendously from the Goliath squad that paraded around the league from seasons prior, the Warriors appear destined to take a step back next year. However, Thompson continues to show no signs warranting any worries on his behalf.

“To say the dynasty is over is a little ignorant because I’m going to come back better and even more athletic. It would not be smart to count the Dubs out,” said a confident Thompson earlier this week.

In backing up his take, Thompson reminded those doubting the Dubs that Steph Curry and Draymond Green still remain with the squad, while also professing his belief that newly-acquired guard D’Angelo Russell will “bloom into a superstar.”

With no way around the fact that the team will still certainly miss Durant’s 26.0 and Thompson’s 21.5 points per game from last year, Thompson’s claims about Curry, Russell, and Green’s potential holds some legitimacy. Last year Curry averaged 27.3 points per–game, an even higher mark than Durant’s. Russell also enjoyed a career year before switching coasts to join the Warriors, averaging 21.1 points per game for the Nets. Green also offers hope for Golden State as well. While not a big-time scorer, Green remains a player dipping into all statistical categories at a modest rate each night, combining to form an impressive +7.0 PER last season.

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Other factors outside Thompson’s injury and Durant’s departure continue to brew and shape as hurdles for the reigning Western Conference champs, however. Offseason moves such as the Los Angeles Lakers acquiring Anthony Davis, the Houston Rockets reeling in Russell Westbrook and the Los Angeles Clippers pairing Warrior slayers Kawhi Leonard and Paul George all elevate the outside forces looking to rip the conference’s crown from Golden State’s fingers.

Although Thompson offered no specific reasons to maintain hope regarding the exceedingly improved clubs that now oppose him and the Warriors, his steady confidence about all other matters gives reason to believe he remains, as he seemingly always appears, unworried.

With Los Angeles Chargers training camp now off and running, starting running back Melvin Gordon‘s presence remains absent. Although most indeed expected a holdout from him, it now appears fans may never see Gordon take the field in Chargers colors ever again.

Gordon’s agent reportedly alerted the Chargers’ front office and the media that his client, Gordon, formally requested a trade this week. Unsatisfied with the $10 million dollar yearly offer that the Chargers extended towards him, Gordon now awaits a chance to relocate to another club, one that intends to meet his financial requirements.

Although Gordon clearly illustrated his disinterest in it, the offer in place certainly poises to pay Gordon admirably. If Gordon were to sign the deal, the contract would make him the fourth-highest-paid running back, behind David Johnson, LeVeon Bell and Todd Gurley. Although this one appears beyond fixing, Ezekiel Elliott and the Dallas Cowboys continue to endure a very similar situation this offseason, as Elliott continually pursues a heavier wallet as well.

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Last year, Gordon rushed for 885 yards, ten touchdowns and maintained an impressive 5.1 yards per carry despite dealing with some ongoing injuries. Gordon’s talents also helped the Chargers post an impressive 12–4 record and develop a winning culture immediately after the team’s relocation from San Diego.

With a scenario involving the Georgia product off the team growing more likely as each day passes, look for Austin Ekeler to shift into a starting role and carry Gordon’s workload as the team continues to prepare for the upcoming season. Often serving as a ball-carrier during Gordon’s health-related absences last season, Ekeler rushed for 544 yards and scored three touchdowns. Ekeler also threatened defenses as a pass-catcher and hauled in 39 passes to tally up 404 receiving yards.

After a sixth-month period that always seems to take an eternity, NFL football returned Thursday night for the annual Hall of Fame Game. Those who tuned in to the meaningless — yet beloved — inaugural preseason game saw the Denver Broncos emerge victorious with a 14–10 win over the Atlanta Falcons.

Denver kicked off what turned out to be a low-scoring affair with a three–yard touchdown run from Khalfani Muhammad during the first quarter. With the running back’s room already headlined with last year’s Rookie of the Year candidate Phillip Lindsay, Muhammad continued his fight for simply a roster spot Thursday night, and finished with 50 rush yards alongside his touchdown.

The Falcons answered during the second quarter, as Kurt Benkert tossed a one–yard touchdown pass to running back Brian Hill. Benkert showed potential to snag the backup role from veteran Matt Schuab with his overall performance, tallying up 185 yards while marching the team up and down the field with ease. Also during the second quarter, the first ever pass–interference challenge occurred on a long ball where Broncos defender Linden Stephens collided with Russell Gage, prompting Vic Fangio to throw a historic challenge flag. Although the ruling stood as game officials failed to find any conclusive evidence to issue a penalty, this long-awaited feature’s presence added some extra flavor to the game.

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After a third-quarter field goal from Giorgio Tavecchio, which pushed Atlanta out to a 10–7 lead, no further scoring occurred until the game’s closing moments. Giving fans an always entertaining two–minute drill, undrafted rookie Brett Rypien proceeded to march the Broncos towards the end-zone and eventually connected with Juwann Winfree, who made an incredible circus catch, on a 15-yard pass to score a game-winning touchdown.

While Rypien shinned, the Broncos’ other rookie quarterback struggled. During a game in which he only seemed to connect on pass attempts such as check downs and slants, Drew Lock essentially missed every throw by a step or two during his debut. Lock finished with just 34 yards and a 68.0 passer rating.

With other further opportunities for players to either build on impressive performances or bounce back from poor ones, more preseason games await as the Falcons and Broncos take the field alongside the league’s other teams August 8th.

Not too long ago, Kevin Shattenkirk took less money to essentially “come home” and play for the New York Rangers. Fast forward just two years, and the once believed top puck–carrying defensemen finds himself job hunting, as the Rangers bought out the last two years left on his contract Thursday.

As an aging player attached to a large price tag, Shattenkirk failed to fit into the rebuilding narrative which the Rangers continue to proceed with. The move saves the Rangers a substantial $5,166,667 in cap space next year, however it also poises to penalize the team roughly $9 million over the next four years.

“Today’s decision was a very difficult one,” said Rangers president John Davidson. “Kevin is a great person and teammate and he was extremely proud to be a New York Ranger. We wish him and his family all the best going forward.”

New York initially signed Shattenkirk prior to the 2017 season, hoping to reload a talented yet aging roster still clinging to championship aspirations. Things never panned out accordingly though, as multiple injuries forced Shatty to miss significant time during his ineffective two years as a Ranger. After playing in just 113 games over two years and scoring just 51 points, it became clear that his contract no longer benefitted both sides properly.

Frequently rumored destinations for Shattenkirk include the Edmonton Oilers, Buffalo Sabres, and Columbus Blue Jackets as he and the Rangers both look to move on.

Most general mangers can only dream about adding an all–time great player, such as LeBron James, to their roster. Although most certainly long for a golden situation such as this, former Cleveland Cavaliers GM David Griffin alerted the NBA community yesterday that a life attached to King James is certainly not all it’s made out to be.

“Everything we did was so inorganic and unsustainable and, frankly, not fun. I was miserable,” said Griffin when commenting on pair’s overlapping tenures in Cleveland during an interview on Thursday. Griffin also remarked on the situation even factoring into his decision to leave Cleveland, as he stated, “Literally the moment we won the championship, I knew I was gonna leave. There was no way I was gonna stay for any amount of money.”

Griffin fell under scrutiny often while steering the ship for the Cavs, often fielding complaints regarding his apparent inability to provide James with enough complimentary players to help him out during the team’s championship runs.

“LeBron is getting all the credit and none of the blame. And that’s not fun for people,” said Griffin later on during the interview before also mentioning how he wept after winning the 2016 title because “the game was no longer fun for him.”

Griffin continued to attack James when mentioning his current role aboard Los Angeles Lakers. Proceeding to even question James’s hunger going forward as Griffin next stated, “I don’t think he’s the same animal anymore about winning.”

Coming to his own defense, James issued a tweet assuring his followers that he remains focused on winning despite Griffin’s comments.

Until this fiasco, Griffin and James both appeared friendly with each other. James even publicly endorsed Griffin during his contract disputes with the Cleveland owners a few years back. James also joked with Griffin on Twitter no more than a few weeks ago about about his wife’s wine brewing abilities.

Now serving as GM for the New Orleans Pelicans, Griffin appears ready to jump back into a similar gig however, with a player often hailed as the “next” LeBron James, Zion Williamson set to headline the show on the bayou.

Los Angeles Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw sped past another impressive name stationed on the MLB’s all–time strikeout list Thursday night.

With his 2,397th put out, the southpaw passed a fellow Dodger and multi–year Cy Young winner, Sandy Koufax. As they have for years now, Kershaw’s strikeout helped the Dodgers win yet another game, pushing their total up to a now league–high at 72. Although not a typical Kershaw gem which involved two six hits and five walks, he managed to extend his now four game winning streak as well. Nobody deemed this an unsuccessful outing for Kershaw however, as his achievement surely out shinned any struggles he endured on the mound.

The Dodgers offense provided the necessary assistance in the effort, granting Kershaw some excessive insurance as they put up eight runs. Most notably, Cody Bellinger contributed to the cause, tallying three RBIs with early home run and late game double. Bullpen pitchers Joe Kelly, Dylan Floro and Yimi Garcia closed things out after Kershaw’s sixth inning exit.

“It was really cool,” said Kershaw who candidly spoke on his accomplishment after the game. “It’s a special thing anytime you get mentioned in the same breath as Sandy. He wouldn’t have been proud of this one, but I’ll try to get better the next one. I can’t even talk about it, it was so bad. I’m just going to move on to the next one.”

Kershaw now holds the 49th spot on the list, tied with former New York Yankee Kevin Brown. Other active pitchers currently sitting ahead Kershaw include C.C. Sabathia, Justin Verlander, Max Scherzer, Zach Greinke, Cole Hamels, and Felix Hernandez.

Keeping the chase on, Kershaw ascends to the mound next likely on Tuesday to face the St. Louis Cardinals. 

Paul Fenton‘s short-lived stint as the Minnesota Wild general manger ended abruptly this week, as the team asked him to clean out his office after hiring him just over a year ago.

“Our organization and our culture were a little different than the way Paul wanted to handle things. We just felt this was the time to do it,” said owner Craig Leipold. The team owner went on to call Fenton a “bad fit” and insisted that the his visions simply contradicted the future that Leipold himself saw for the team.

When Fenton initially replaced former GM Chuck Fletcher, Leipold admitted a strategy involving a commitment to competing for a championship, rather than tearing things down and entering a full rebuild. Fenton’s hiring came to hopefully bump the team up a notch into contention. However, Fenton failed to make the small changes that Minnesota’s owners envisioned.

Most notably, Fenton failed to make any major trades to benefit the team. Both forwards acquired under Fenton, Ryan Donato and Kevin Fiala, essentially failed to elevate the team’s play, as the Wild missed the playoffs. In his final move as general manager, Fenton signed longtime New York Ranger Mats Zuccarello to a questionable five-year, $30 million contract with a no–trade clause attached.

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However, Leipold assured the public that these issues failed to factor into this decision regarding Fenton’s firing. Leipold stated, “It was the other portion of being a general manager, the organizational part, the strategic part, the management of people, the hiring and motivating of the departments.”

For now, the team’s assistant GM, Tom Kurves, plans to serve as interim general manger. Leipold mentioned no timetable for the team to elect a new, permanent general manager.

Since his ninth overall selection during the 2013 NBA Draft, former Michigan Wolverine Trey Burke has tried on a lot of different NBA jerseys.

Since the Utah Jazz selected him, Burke has played for the Washington Wizards, New York Knicks and Dallas Mavericks. After agreeing to a disclosed contract earlier this week, the Philadelphia 76ers join the fraternity of teams to host Burke and his skillset.

Although remaining within the NBA remains for such an extent remains an accomplishment in its own, Burke exists as somewhat of a league disappointment, as the skillset that he flashed at the colligate level, which warranted his early selection during the draft, continually fails to translate at the NBA level. Burke’s best season only saw him record 12.8 points and 4.7 assists per-game. Numbers from other players drafted shortly afterwards, such as C.J. McCollum, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Steven Adams, all dwarf Burke’s lackluster statistical marks season after season.

However, the 76ers bought into Burke’s frequently traded stock ahead a season in which most expect the team to contend for a title. “Trey’s experience as a ball handler matched with his scoring ability makes him a good fit for our roster,” said GM Elton Brand in a public statement after the signing.

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Burke likely awaits a role backing up All–Star point guard Ben Simmons, as the team now illustrates less back-court depth after seeing fan-favorite bench piece T.J. McConnell depart for the Indiana Pacers. The Sixers recently signed Simmons to a max contract extension, adding into the massive funds dealt out to NBA players this offseason.

As so many NBA players do after signing with a new team, Burke hopped on Twitter to issue his excitement going forward. Burke even addressed the team’s championship aspirations by simply stating, “Let’s go get this championship.”

Burke fell just short of an NCAA Men’s basketball title during his last year at Michigan after losing in the championship game by just six points. He now gets a chance to chase glory once more, this time at the professional level, even despite his earlier shortcomings playing at it.