The 1971-72 Los Angeles Lakers can breathe easy.

The Golden State Warriors’ win streak stopped at 28, as they lost 108-95 to the Milwaukee Bucks Saturday. Despite Klay Thompson playing, the Warriors seemed to struggle to score. Steph Curry had 28 points on 10 of 21 shooting, including 2 for 8 on three-pointers.

The Warriors struggled to score from three-point range, making just six of 26 from beyond the arc. The Bucks, on the other hand, were as hot as they could be.

Greg Monroe scored a season high 28 points, and Giannis Antetokounmpo racked up a triple-double with 11 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists. At any moment, it felt like the Warriors were going to rattle off one of their crazy scoring runs to take the lead back and continue the streak.

But it wasn’t meant to be, and the team pointed out that there were benefits to losing.

“I think probably the last seven or eight games, we’ve stopped getting better,” said Warriors power forward Draymond Green, who scored 24 points and pulled down 11 rebounds. “We just know how to win, and so, our playing, and knowing how to win has just gotten us through. But, our playing and knowing how to win won’t get us another NBA championship.”

The thought of the Warriors getting even better is a terrifying prospect for the league. They just ripped off 24 wins, proving the depth of their bench on nights where the starters didn’t play well, and had some gutsy wins, including the double overtime win over Boston.

But for now, there’s 24-1, and the excitement of the Bucks, after knocking off the game’s best team.

“We never wavered,” said Monroe.

It didn’t exactly take long for the premiere match of UFC 194 to end.

It took one punch and 13 seconds. Conor McGregor landed a hard cross to José Aldo’s face, Aldo is knocked out. Game over. McGregor is the champ (and incidentally, won the right to appear on EA Sports UFC 2 with Ronda Rousey).

After the fight, the notoriously tough-talking Irishman was gracious in victory. In a message posted to his Facebook, McGregor wrote “Respect to a great champion in Jose Aldo. The true greats will always overcome adversity. I wish him and his loyal team well on their journey back. Much respect.” He also thanked his fans and talked about the journey that took him to UFC 194.

Aldo, for his part, was noticeably holding back tears at his post-fight press conference. “I threw a punch and he came back with a cross. We need a rematch,” Aldo said after the fight. “It wasn’t a fight so we need to get back in there.”

Aldo is one of the best fighters to play the game. He’s 25-2 as a fighter, fast and strong. And McGregor knocked him out in one punch.

It’s now another part of the meteoric rise for McGregor. And the man has options for his next fight. It seems inevitable that there will be a rematch; this fight brought in a $10.1 million gate. But UFC president Dana White promised former lightweight champion Frankie Edgar he would get a title defense. Edgar won his fifth straight fight at 145 pounds Friday.

For now, however, McGregor can sit back and enjoy victory.

PHOTO: LAS VEGAS, NV – DECEMBER 12: Conor McGregor celebrates after a first-round knockout victory over Jose Aldo in their featherweight title fight during UFC 194 on December 12, 2015 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Steve Marcus/Getty Images)

Michael Cuddyer is retiring after 15 years in the MLB.

The 36 year old hit .259 with 10 home runs and 41 RBIS at 379 at-bats for the New York Mets last year.

“I’ve made the difficult decision to retire. With one year left on my contract, it is especially difficult to imagine not suiting up in a Mets uniform for one more year,” Cuddyer said in a piece posted to The Player’s Tribune on Saturday. “”As an athlete, retiring is the toughest decision you have to make and I don’t take it lightly. I’ve always run out every hit like it was my last. As an untested high school kid drafted with a dream, I’ve never taken a single moment in the Majors for granted. It goes against every grain in my body to consider a future without the game. But after 15 years, the toll on my body has finally caught up to me.”

Cuddyer was a two-time All Star in his 15 year career. He was drafted in the 1997 amateur draft by the Minnesota Twins, and played there from 2001-2011, going to the All-Star game in 2011. After two years with the Colorado Rockies, going to the All-Star game in 2013, he signed with the Mets in Nov. 2014 and appeared in his first World Series. The Mets lost that series 4-2.

The Mets’ manager, Sandy Alderson, had high praise for Cuddyer. “While battling injuries last season, he was one of our team’s true leaders in the clubhouse, playing a significant role in our National League Championship. He leaves a indelible, positive impact on our clubhouse. We salute Michael on his career and thank him for his contributions to our success in 2015. We wish him, Claudia, and their kids all the health and happiness.”

PHOTO: LOS ANGELES, CA – OCTOBER 09: Michael Cuddyer #23 of the New York Mets reacts after striking out in the second inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers in game one of the National League Division Series at Dodger Stadium on October 9, 2015 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images)

It took double overtime for the Golden State Warriors to keep their winning streak alive, beating the Boston Celtics 124-119.

The Warriors were without starters Harrison Barnes and Klay Thompson, but held on to go to 24-0 on the year. The win broke a tie with the 2012-2013 Miami Heat for second longest winning streak in the NBA, and now only trail the 1971-72 Los Angeles Lakers, who went 33-0.

Despite finishing with 37 points, Steph Curry had a rough night. There were multiple times he stepped out of bounds after missing layups, and he never looked truly comfortable until overtime.

So center Draymond Green stepped up. Playing 50 minutes, he recorded 24 points, 111 rebounds, eight assists, five steals and five blocks. He’s the third player since blocks were first recorded to have 20 points, 10 rebounds, five assists, five steals and five blocks. Hakeem Olajuwon did it five times, and Derrick Coleman did it once.

And when the Warriors were down three with 2:27 left in regulation, it was Green who acted as the calming factor. “I just told everyone to relax, we’ve been here before. Act like we’ve been here before and take care of what we need to take care of.”

For the Celtics, Kelly Olynyk scored 28 points off the bench, including all seven Celtics points in the first overtime. Isaiah Thomas scored 18 points and dealt out 10 assists, but failed to capitalize at the end of regulation and the first overtime, when he had what would be nearly the final shot.

Still, the Celtics can say they played the top team in the NBA tough. And for the Warriors, they can say they continued their win streak without two starters, on the road, against a tough young team, in double overtime.

The Warriors play the Milwaukee Bucks tonight, and it’ll be interesting to see how much they have left after the tough win last night.

In a crazy Big Ten Championship Game, No. 5 Michigan State defeated No. 4 Iowa, 16-13, on a last-minute touchdown that ended Iowa’s undefeated season.

Michigan State was trailing 13-9 with 9:31 to go in the game, and needed a score bad.

So quarterback Connor Cook and running back L.J. Scott took over. After a thrilling fourth-down conversion by Cook, Scott was stopped twice by the Iowa defense. The Hawkeyes took a timeout. They had Scott stopped, but he bulled through, scoring with 26 seconds to go. 16-13, Spartans. “I was just trying to make a play for my brothers,” said Scott. “We knew what we had at stake.”

Iowa had one last chance to tie or win the game, but a nine-yard pass on third down was fumbled, and the Spartans recovered to knock off Iowa from the ranks of the unbeaten and the College Football Playoff.

Cook did not look great until the end, and he looked rattled at times.

But the senior quarterback was still named MVP for that late-game drive, becoming the first ever player to get the nod for game MVP twice.

The other team, meanwhile, finds themselves out of the playoff hunt. “It’s tough,” quarterback C.J. Beathard said. “You’ve gone all season and haven’t experienced what it’s like to lose a game. Every time we’ve gone to the locker room after the game it’s been exciting. It’s just tough because losing a game like that when it’s that close, it’s hard to handle.”

Until the final drive, it looked like Iowa had their ticket punched. Their vaunted defense had held Michigan State to three field goals, then Beathard opened up the fourth quarter with an 85 yard touchdown pass to Tevaun Smith.

But then the Spartans took over, and the rest is history.

“Our football team knows how to win. We can play it out,” said Michigan State head coach Mark Dantonio. “We don’t count ourselves out. When some things aren’t going well, we keep playing as evidenced by the game.”

PHOTO: INDIANAPOLIS, IN – DECEMBER 05: LJ Scott #3 of the Michigan State Spartans runs for the game winning touchdown against the Iowa Hawkeyes in the Big Ten Championship at Lucas Oil Stadium on December 5, 2015 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

No. 1 Clemson defeated No. 10 North Carolina 45-37 in an ACC title game that quickly became controversial for a disputed penalty.

With a minute left, the Tar Heels kicked a successful onside kick down eight. But the play was waved off due to an offsides call that doesn’t appear to have happened. UNC was forced to rekick, and the Tigers recovered it to ice the game.

“That was a blown call, obviously,” North Carolina wide receiver Ryan Switzer said after the game. “Anybody’s who seen the picture or the replay knows it was blown, but one play doesn’t lose you the game. Would have definitely liked to have gotten that. With our offense, we can score anywhere on the field. One minute with three timeouts would have been plenty of time. Frustrating, definitely, but it was a blown call.”

The ACC has doubled down, stating that the referees were lined up correctly and saw a North Carolina player cross the plane before the ball was kicked.

With a minute left and three timeouts, North Carolina would have had to score a touchdown and get the two point conversion to tie the game. It wasn’t automatic, but it would have been fun to see. But thanks to a blown call, it’s in the past now.

Clemson is undefeated on the season and will be the number one seed in the College Football playoff. North Carolina goes to 11-2 and will play in a bowl game.

This is not the first time ACC officials have messed up a critical play in the closing seconds. When Miami beat Duke on a last-second eight lateral touchdown, the ACC later admitted that the play should have never happened, and Duke should have won the game.

PHOTO: CHARLOTTE, NC – DECEMBER 05: Wayne Gallman #9 of the Clemson Tigers runs the ball against the North Carolina Tar Heels in the 2nd half during the Atlantic Coast Conference Football Championship at Bank of America Stadium on December 5, 2015 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)

In a Dec. 3 showdown, James Harden scored 25 as the Houston Rockets edged the Dallas Mavericks, 100-96.

Harden had a rough start to the game, scoring only five points in the first quarter and not getting to the free throw line like he usually does. The NBA’s free throw leader only got to the line five times, but got four points from it. Harden finished the first half shooting 3-12.

So Harden contributed in other ways. He had nine assists and eight rebounds, and found his shot in the second half. He went 7 of 11, including the game-sealing jumper. And while Harden’s shot wasn’t falling, his teammates three-point shots were raining down; the Rockets went 11 of 18 in the first half.

Perhaps Harden’s best assist came with 55 seconds left to go, and the game tied. He found Terrence Jones for the dunk, putting the Rockets up 98-96. Jones had 17 points, while Trevor Ariza finished with 18. Center Clint Capela, starting in place of a resting Dwight Howard, had ten rebounds but only two points. Five of the Rockets’ offensive rebounds were his.

For the Mavericks, Dirk Nowitzki had 16 points and ten rebounds, while Deron Williams scored 22 and dished out six assists. Williams had eight turnovers, though.

After a bad 4-7 start, the Rockets are now 5-4 under interim head coach J.B. Bickerstaff after the team fired former head coach Kevin McHale. Their current record is 9-11.

“We can’t settle,” Bickerstaff told the media after the game. “We’re not where we want to be.”

They might not be where they want to be, but the Rockets are getting there, and a large part of that success can be attributed to their All-Star shooting guard.

“I’m just a playmaker,” Harden said. “If I’ve got a shot, I’ll shoot it. Or I make a pass.”

Texas A&M women’s basketball coach Gary Blair got his 700 th win Nov. 27 as the No. 10 Texas A&M Aggies beat the No. 16 Cal Golden Bears 75-58 in the South Point Thanksgiving Shootout at South Point Arena.

Blair is the 16”Ith coach in Division 1 to get 700 wins, achieving it in his 31st year of coaching. Only six coaches have done it quicker. He won 210 games at Stephen F. Austin, 198 at Arkansas and has 292 at Texas A&M.

After the game, Blair praised his senior players Courtney Williams and Courtney Walker, who had 32 and 18 points respectively.

“Williams, Walker-whenever they graduate I feel like following out the door because they’ve been special. They put up a lot of those wins with me, and I think I’ve got the best point guards (Jordan Jones and Chelsea Jennings) in the country.”

Williams’ 32 is a career high and the most for Texas A&M since Kelsey Bone scored 33 Dec. 20, 2012.

Blair also praised 16-ranked Cal, who was undefeated coming into the game.

“ I’m a history buff of the game, and I learned by playing great coaches. If I got to 700 I wanted it to be against a quality opponent like Cal. (Coach) Lindsay (Gottlieb) is one of the rising stars of the game. She only has nine kids and plays six or seven at most, and we were able to wear her down a bit.”

Williams had 12 points during the first quarter, and her basket at the end of the first gave the Aggies a one-point lead and sparked a 33-nine run that put the game away.

While the Golden Bears outrebounded the Aggies 36-27, they were unable to capitalize. Forward Kristine Aginwe scored 23 points and pulled down 12 rebounds.

PHOTO: WASHINGTON, DC – OCTOBER 06: U.S. President Barack Obama (L) is presented with a jersey by head coach Gary Blair (R) during a Rose Garden event to welcome the Texas A&M University Women’s Basketball Team to the White House October 6, 2011 in Washington, DC. President Obama hosted the basketball team to honor their 2011 NCAA Championship. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)

Florida State might not be going to the college football playoff, but they got one heck of a consolation prize Nov. 28.

The 13th ranked Seminoles were able to beat the 12th ranked Florida Gators 27-2 at Florida Field, marking the third straight year they’ve beaten Florida at their home field.

“You just don’t come into Florida Field and beat them three years in a row,” FSU coach Jimbo Fisher said after the game. “Our players know how hard that is.”

Florida State running back Dalvin Cook ran for 183 yards and two touchdowns to account for most of the scoring. Kicker Roberto Aguayo kicked two field goals, and quarterback Sean Maguire threw a touchdown. Despite the final score, it was close until Cook ran for both of his touchdowns in the fourth quarter, icing the game.

The only real issue for Florida State’s defense was Florida running back Kelvin Taylor, who rushed for 136 yards on 24 carries.

But the defense held up strong in the red zone, blocking a field goal and stopping a 4th and 2 situation.

Florida quarterback Treon Harris struggled throughout the game, completing 19 of 38 passes for 134 yards and getting sacked four times. Coach Jim McElwain said he never considered benching him, though. “He could have played better, but so could some other guys, so could some other guys around him. He’s our quarterback and he’s going to get a little bit better this week as we go into the SEC championship game.”

That championship, against 2nd ranked Alabama, is going to be a tough challenge. It’s going to be even tougher if leading receiver Demarcus Robinson is suspended long-term. He was suspended yesterday, and coach McElwan said that his return “depends on his teammates.”

As for Florida State, they’ll likely have a good bowl locked up. Two losses isn’t ideal, but one of those was to the top-ranked Clemson Tigers, and the Seminoles’ strong finish will help them come selection time.

PHOTO: GAINESVILLE, FL – NOVEMBER 28: Derwin James #3 of the Florida State Seminoles pressures Treon Harris #3 of the Florida Gators during the game at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium on November 28, 2015 in Gainesville, Florida. (Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)

At this point, it’s hard not to feel bad for the Philadelphia 76ers and their fans.

The constant refrain from the team has been to “trust the process” and hope that the worst team in the NBA will eventually get enough good players and assets to make a run. Unfortunately, it’s definitely not happening this year.

After a strong effort against the Houston Rockets, the 76ers fell 116-114 to go to 0-17 on the season. James Harden scored 50 for the Rockets, while Robert Covington had 28 points and eight steals for the 76ers.

The 76ers are now one loss from tying the record for the worst start in NBA history. They’ve also had the longest consecutive losing streak of 27 games, the highest in NBA history. The previous record was the 76ers in 2014.

Give the 76ers this: they played hard. They faced an 11 point deficit at the start of the first quarter and rallied to take a five point lead on a 24-8 run.

But they couldn’t hang on, as Harden scored seven points in the last three minutes of the fourth quarter.

To add insult to injury, Harden’s 50 points is the most let up by the 76ers this year. The previous high was Paul George, of the Indiana Pacers who dropped 34 on Nov. 16.

One of the bright spots for the 76ers is that they’re playing better; it took a furious effort in the fourth quarter for the Boston Celtics to win on Nov. 25, and now this. And Jahlil Okafor has been great for the 76ers, scoring in double figures in all but one of the 17 games on the season.

But this “trust the process” idea has been developing for three years and led to nothing but high draft picks and continued disappointment. If the 76ers’ “process” is going to lead anywhere, it’s going to have to happen soon.

PHOTO: HOUSTON, TX – NOVEMBER 27: James Harden #13 of the Houston Rockets battles for the basketball with T.J. McConnell #12 of the Philadelphia 76ers during their game at the Toyota Center on November 27, 2015 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Scott Halleran/Getty Images)

The Golden State Warriors have been ripping the NBA apart thus far this year, going 17-0 over the first couple months of their season.

But it just got a little tougher for the reigning champs, as Harrison Barnes sprained his left ankle and left the win against the Phoenix Suns Nov. 27.

After the game, coach Luke Walton told the media it’s not known how long the small forward would be out. He had seven points and seven rebounds in 21 minutes.

If Barnes is out long-term, that changes things for the Warriors. It means they’ll likely give the starting spot to Andre Iguodala. It’s not the end of the world; Iguodala was an All-Star and Finals MVP last year, after all. But having him start means he can’t come off the bench, which will limit the versatility of the Warriors’ lineups. Their one lineup of Iguodala-Barnes–Klay Thompson–Draymond Green–Stephen Curry, for example, loses part of its dominance without Barnes.

Still, when you can win 135-116 on an off night (the Warriors turned the ball over 23 times) and sit star Curry for the entire fourth quarter, it’s not the worst thing that could happen. Losing Barnes makes continuing the undefeated streak tougher, but the Warriors are still in great shape in the early going.

Curry continued his ridiculous season last night, scoring 41 points including nine 3-pointers. The Warriors hit 22 3-pointers, setting a franchise record and coming one short of tying the NBA record. Green claimed a triple double with 14 points, ten rebounds and ten assists. It’s the fourth time this year Curry has sat the entire fourth quarter.

Losing Barnes hurts the Warriors. But if Curry can keep setting the NBA on fire and their collection of talented big men keep frustrating opponents, it may not matter.

PHOTO: PHOENIX, AZ – NOVEMBER 27: Devin Booker #1 of the Phoenix Suns attempts a lay up over Draymond Green #23 of the Golden State Warriors as T.J. Warren #12 looks for a rebound during the first half of the NBA game at Talking Stick Resort Arena on November 27, 2015 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Warriors defeated the Suns 135-116. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

This kind of stuff usually happens in March. Top teams going down has been a celebrated result of March Madness since the day it tipped off.

But we’ve already seen a number of high-profile upsets so far. George Washington beat #6 ranked Virginia. Georgetown was beaten by Radford at home.

And Saturday, the #1 North Carolina Tar Heels went down, 71-67, to the Northern Iowa Panthers.

At the end of the first half, things seemed like they were going as planned. North Carolina was up by nine at the half, and would have been up 12 but for a fantastic half-court shot by junior Wes Washpun. And in the early going, North Carolina went up by as much as 16 before Northern Iowa stormed back. Washpun was a huge part of the upset, scoring 21 points and racking up eight assists. Jefferson Jackson was a large part of UNC’s offense, scoring 25 points.

For the Tar Heels, it’s an unexpected blow. Roy Williams scheduled this game as a way of having a homecoming for senior star Marcus Paige, who is out with a broken bone in his right hand. But it’s definitely not the end of their season; the consensus #1 team in the country will likely bounce back against future opponents.

Meanwhile, this shakes up the college basketball rankings. The no-brainer effect is Kentucky moving up to #1, due to their double-digit win over Duke. Duke plays Georgetown later today, and that game will play a large role in determining whether the Blue Devils stay in the top five. It’ll be interesting to see where other teams move up to now that UNC has gone down.

For now, let’s just sit back and enjoy the anarchy of college basketball season, where crazy upsets can and will happen at any time.

PHOTO: SEATTLE, WA – MARCH 20: Wes Washpun #11 of the UNI Panthers dribbles against the Wyoming Cowboys during the second round of the 2015 Men’s NCAA Basketball Tournament at Key Arena on March 20, 2015 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images)

In a middleweight title fight Saturday, Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez beat Miguel Cotto by unanimous decision to capture the lineal and WBC Middleweight championships.

Scores were 119-109, 118-110 and 117-111.

While it wasn’t the flashiest performance from either fighter, the two put on a technical show. Alvarez was not only bigger and stronger, but faster and younger than Cotto, and trainer Freddie Roach took full advantage with a game plan similar to the Floyd Mayweather fight against Cotto in 2013. Alvarez has clearly improved as a fighter over the years, and when you add in his strength and size, it was no contest.

When Cotto tried to trade with Alvarez, he was forced to back down after power shots to the head and body. His signature hooks were also less effective than they should have been; he landed a few, but seemed to get more frustrated as the fight went on. Cotto was able, however, to win a few rounds with a good jab and by sticking and moving. But once Alvarez realized Cotto couldn’t particularly hurt him, he started trading with more abandon and less worry.

For Alvarez, it’s easily the best win of his career. He fought a talented and experienced fighter who’s gone 40-4 over his storied career, and won the championships from Cotto. Alvarez is now in line to fight Gennady Golovkin, who owns the WBA, IBF and IBO middleweight titles.

Cotto was going to lose the title anyways. He hadn’t paid sanctioning fees to the WBC, and they stripped him of the title. Alvarez still had an opportunity to win the title, which he did. Cotto skipped his post-fight press conference and in-ring interview, so we don’t know what’s going to happen next for him. But Alvarez’s opportunity looms large after this fight, where he took down an aging champion.

PHOTO: LAS VEGAS, NV – SEPTEMBER 13: Boxer Canelo Alvarez poses on the scale during the official weigh-in for his bout against Floyd Mayweather Jr. at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on September 13, 2013 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The fighters will meet in a WBC/WBA 154-pound title fight on September 14 in Las Vegas. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

Since upsetting Ronda Rousey in their UFC match Nov. 15, Holly Holm has been a household name.

When she handed Rousey her first loss, Holm said something to her after the fight. And in an interview with Larry King, Holm revealed what it was.

Get Official WWE Gear Here!

“I just said, ‘You know, I really admire you for being such a dominant champion. None of us would be here without you, so I appreciate you,’” Holm said.

Prior to the fight, there was some controversy when Rousey wouldn’t touch gloves with Holm. And there was a minor incident at the weigh-ins, when Rousey took offense to Holm putting her fist near her face.

Holm says she doesn’t have anything against Rousey, however. When asked by King if she thought Rousey was a poor sport, her answer wasn’t particularly strong. “I think she’s done great for the sport, because she’s so passionate about what she does and carries this confidence about her. Everybody has their own ways of dealing with their emotions in the sport.”

Holm was also supportive of Rousey immediately after the fight, telling TMZ Sports, “Ronda’s been a very dominant champ and taken the sport to new levels. This fight wouldn’t have happened if she hadn’t accomplished what she had accomplished, so I have a lot of respect for her.”

Rousey has been taking heat from people online for her brash demeanor. She’s on a mandatory 60-day medical suspension, with an additional 180 day suspension that can be lifted with a negative CT scan. It’s going to be a while before we see the formerly dominant fighter in the ring again, and it’ll be interesting to see who she fights and how she does.

Get The Holly Holm T-Shirt Here!

It’s far too late in the San Francisco 49ers season to turn it around. But they can get at least a little better offense than what they had.

The 49ers have placed Colin Kaepernick on injured reserve with a left shoulder issue, and the fourth-year quarterback told ESPN he wants to have surgery. Blaine Gabbert started for the team last week in a win against the Atlanta Falcons, and will start the rest of the way.

It’s a sad end to a bad season for Kaepernick, who has thrown six touchdowns and five interceptions on the year. Only three years after leading the 49ers to a Super Bowl loss against the Baltimore Ravens, there are questions as to whether the 49ers will keep the at-times stunning quarterback.

Kaepernick has looked bad this year, but there’s plenty of blame to go around. The offensive line has been overmatched all year, and the run game was mediocre even before Reggie Bush was lost for the year with a torn ACL. Former star Vernon Davis was traded to the Denver Broncos, ending a long stint with the team he was drafted by in 2006. And the defense has been awful after many players (including Chris Borland and Patrick Willis) retired in the offseason.

But it’s hard not to turn some of the blame to the coaching staff. After ownership forced Jim Harbaugh out this offseason, new head coach Jim Tomsula has looked overmatched. The former defensive line coach doesn’t look like he was ready for the top job.

Still, the most important player on an NFL team is the quarterback. Kaepernick wasn’t playing well and has an injury, so he’ll get a lion’s share of the blame. Instead of looking like the exciting phenom that led the 49ers to a Super Bowl, he’s looked pedestrian at best. Here’s hoping Kaepernick can get back to his winning ways.

Despite increased interest from Real Madrid, Watford manager Quique Sanchez Flores believes standout keeper David De Gea should stay in England.

Flores gave De Gea his first chance when he managed him at Atlético Madrid, and believes staying in England with Manchester United is the young keeper’s best bet. “It would be perfect for David and the Premier League to keep him in English football for long. He has learned a lot playing here in England,” said Flores.

After starting with Atlético Madrid, De Gea was signed away by Manchester United in 2011. In his time with the club, he’s won one Premier League winners medal in 2013 and has been heralded as one of the best young goalkeepers in the world.

While De Gea did sign a new deal to stay with Manchester United, he did come close to joining Real Madrid at the last transfer window. With a new deal signed, Real would have to up their offer to the star keeper.

In other transfer news, Chelsea apparently sees Real’s Raphael Varane as a “wiser choice” than Everton’s John Stones, according to Neil Ashton of The Daily Mail. Chelsea’s manager Jose Mourinho is trying to improve their defense, and Varane has been great this year. Varane is set to play his 21 st consecutive match with France’s international team next year at the European Championships in France.

Varane has seen increased playing time this year; he’s played in all of Real’s 11 matches, starting nine times. If he continues to play at a high level for Real, he’ll be well on his way to becoming one of the best center defenders in football. Moving to Chelsea wouldn’t help with his development, so it’s not likely he’ll make a move unless Chelsea overpays considerably.

PHOTO: WATFORD, ENGLAND – NOVEMBER 21: David De Gea of Manchester United celebrates his team’s second goal during the Barclays Premier League match between Watford and Manchester United at Vicarage Road on November 21, 2015 in Watford, England. (Photo by Stephen Pond/Getty Images)

In his first few years in the league, New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski has torn it up in the receiving game; he’s set multiple records in the receiving game, including being the first tight end to lead the league in touchdown receptions in 2012, with 17.

But while Gronk has eight touchdowns and over 800 receiving yards this year, he’s also racked up four offensive pass interference penalties, the most of any player. Despite getting flagged for a team-high seven penalties this year, the big tight end says he won’t change his game.

“I’m not sure what it is,” Gronk said Thursday. “I’m just going to keep playing how I’ve been playing, how I go out in practice and transition it to the game.”

And Gronkowski will become even more important to the Patriots offense than he was before. With the foot injury of Julian Edelman in the Patriots’ game against the New York Giants Nov. 15, Gronk must step up as the primary target for quarterback Tom Brady.

Not that this bothers anyone; by all objective measures, Gronkowski is one of, if not the best, tight ends in the league. Only Tyler Eifert of the Cincinnati Bengals has more touchdowns than the fifth year Patriots star.

And Gronkowski is not just a receiving threat; players and coaches alike rave about his blocking. He’s had to stay in more and block due to offensive line issues and not had much of a chance to put up crazy stats.

But with the offensive line getting healthy again, and Brady’s top target out, look for Gronk to have a big game against the Buffalo Bills on Monday Night Football, Nov. 23.

The all-day college hoops marathon on ESPN saved some of its best games for last, as national title contenders squared off.

The Kentucky Wildcats and Duke Blue Devils were just one of those games, with the #2 Wildcats beating the #5 Blue Devils 74-63.

Much was made of Duke guard Grayson Allen, who had scored 16 points in the National Championship win last year over Wisconsin. But he finished with only six points, while Kentucky’s mixture of skilled freshman and experienced upperclassmen paved the way.

Senior Alex Poythress for Kentucky will remember this game for something other than his nine points and seven rebounds, though. Going up for a dunk off of a nice pass by Jamal Murray, Poythress briefly got his teeth caught in the net. While he recoiled after coming down, Poythress didn’t seem too inconvenienced by the play.

Duke center Marshall Plumlee accounted for most of the Blue Devils’ early points, scoring nine of their first 11 points. Plumlee finished with 12 points, also contributing 10 rebounds and six blocks to the loss. Senior Amile Jefferson and junior Matt Jones were the only other Blue Devils in double figures, both scoring 16. Duke plays VCU next for the 2K Classic at Madison Square Garden this Friday.

Kentucky has to be encouraged by their play. Beating the #5 team in the country is impressive, especially for coach John Calipari. Four of Kentucky’s starters contributed double-digit scoring to the win, including freshman guard Murray and sophomore guard Tyler Ulis. Kentucky hosts Wright State this Friday.

Rae Carruth is infamous in the NFL. He’s not known for his gamebreaking ability, or his fantastic hands. No, he is known for committing one of the most heinous acts in NFL history: the hiring of a hitman to kill his then-girlfriend, Cherica Adams.

Chancellor Lee Adams Turns 16

Cherica was eight months pregnant at the time. And while she died days later, her son survived. Chancellor Lee Adams is 16 today.

Chancellor suffered brain damage in the attack on his mother and has cerebral palsy. According to his grandmother Sandra Adams, who raises him, he was in a power-chair at 10. Now, he’s walking on his own.

Carruth has denied his role to this day. Convicted in 2001 of conspiracy to murder, he’s set to get out in 2018. He’s only seen the son he didn’t want once, when Chancellor was one. Chancellor is not the first child he’s abandoned: in college, his then girlfriend Michelle Wright gave birth to his son, Raelondo. Carruth got sued for child support after all but abandoning his son, but only had to pay half of what he owed in child support after promising to be a good father, which he broke.

In 1997, Carruth was drafted by the Carolina Panthers. After getting named to the all-rookie team that year, he broke his foot in the 1998 opener and did not play the rest of the year.

On Nov. 16, 1999, Chelma Adams was shot four times by known Carruth associate Van Brett Watkins Sr. In the 911 call, Adams said that Carruth had stopped his car in front of hers, and another car had pulled up and fired at her. She slipped into a coma, and Chancellor was delivered through emergency Caesarean section. Cherica died on Dec. 14.

Now, 16 years later, Chancellor turns 16. And Carruth continues to rot in jail.

PHOTO: National Football League wide receiver Rae Carruth, who is facing murder charges in the drive-by shooting of his pregnant girlfriend, was arrested on Wednesday when found hiding in the trunk of a car in a hotel parking lot in Tennessee, a police spokesman said. Carruth of the Carolina Panthers is seen in this November 9, 1997 photo during a game against the Denver Broncos at Mile High Stadium in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Brian Bahr/Allsport/Liaison Agency)