New York

The 2024 New York Marathon takes place on Sunday, with runners from around the world descending on The Big Apple for the platinum-level race.

Last year, Tamirat Tola of Ethiopia was the first man to cross the finish line at 2:04:58 and Hellen Obiri was the first woman at 2:27:23.

In the wheelchair race, Marcel Hug finished as the first overall male competitor at 1:25:29 and Catherine Debrunner finished the women's race at 1:39:32.

They topped their categories, which included 51,402 total finishers, the third-most ever.

"The best thing is that you have a million fans of running, all collected to cheer just YOU on."

For those who have never experienced New York on race day...here's what you can expect. Tune-in to watch the #TCSNYCMarathon on November 3, learn more at https://t.co/gE5guj4bhL. pic.twitter.com/dcUPXXvJcH

— TCS New York City Marathon (@nycmarathon) November 1, 2024

This year's racers will participate with different goals in mind.

Some will be chasing a victory, looking to etch their name in the history books alongside of last year's winners. Others will seek to improve on personal bests or even to just finish the run and cross it off their bucket lists.

Ahead of Sunday's annual extravaganza, here is all of the vital details, including the course map, street closures, and event details.

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Course Map

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Info

• Date: Sunday, November 3
• Time: 8:00 a.m. EST
• Start: Staten Island
• End: Central Park
• TV: ESPN2 and WABC-TV (New York)
• Live Streaming: ESPN

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Start Time

8:00 a.m.: Professional Wheelchair Division

8:22 a.m.: Handcycle Category and Select Athletes with Disabilities

8:35 a.m.: Professional Women's Open Division

9:05 a.m.: Professional Men's Open Division

9:10 a.m.: Wave 1

9:45 a.m.: Wave 2

10:20 a.m.: Wave 3

10:55 a.m.: Wave 4

11:30 a.m.: Wave 5

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Road Closures

Staten Island

• Richmond Terrace between Jersey Street and Bay Street
• Wall Street (aka Richmond County Ballpark Driveway) between Richmond Terrace and Bank Street
• Jersey Street between Richmond Terrace and Victory Boulevard
• Victory Boulevard between Jersey Street and Bay Street
• Bay Street between Richmond Terrace and School Road
• Fingerboard Road between Bay Street and Tompkins Avenue
• Tompkins Avenue between Fingerboard Road and School Road
• School Road between Bay Street and Staten Island Expressway
• Lily Pond Avenue between Staten Island Expressway and Father Capodanno Boulevard
• McLean Avenue/Battery Road between Lily Pond Avenue and New York Avenue
• Hylan Boulevard between Bay Street and Olga Place
• Steuben Street between Olga Place and West Fingerboard Road
• West Fingerboard Road between Steuben Street and Hylan Boulevard
• Sand Lane between Hylan Boulevard and Father Capodanno Boulevard
• Father Capodanno Boulevard between Sand Lane and Lily Pond Avenue
• Verrazano Bridge

Brooklyn

• Dahlgren Place between Verrazano Bridge and 92nd Bridge (northbound)
• 92nd Street between Dahlgren Place and 4th Avenue
• Brooklyn Queens Expressway (southbound) and Verrazano Bridge and 79th Street
• Gatling Place/79th Street BQE Entrance Ramp between 83rd Street and 79th Street
• 7th Avenue (southbound) between 79th Street and 74th Street
• 74th Street between 6th Avenue and 7th Avenue
• 6th Avenue between 74th Street and 75th Street/Bay Ridge Parkway
• 75th Street/Bay Ridge Parkway between 7th Avenue and 4th Avenue
• Fort Hamilton Parkway between 92nd Street and 94th Street
• 94th Street between Fort Hamilton Parkway and 4th Avenue
• 4th Avenue between 94th Street and Flatbush Avenue
• Flatbush Avenue between 4th Avenue and Lafayette Avenue
• Lafayette Avenue between Flatbush Avenue and Bedford Avenue
• Bedford Avenue between Lafayette Avenue and Nassau Avenue
• Nassau Avenue between Bedford Avenue/Lorimer Street and Manhattan Avenue
• Manhattan Avenue between Nassau Avenue and Greenpoint Avenue
• Greenpoint Avenue between Manhattan Avenue and McGuinness Boulevard
• McGuinness Boulevard (southbound) between Greenpoint Avenue and Pulaski Bridge
• Pulaski Bridge (southbound)

Queens

• 11th Street between Pulaski Bridge/Jackson Avenue and 48th Avenue
• 48th Avenue between 11th Street and Vernon Boulevard
• Vernon Boulevard between 48th Avenue and 10th Street
• 10th Street between Vernon Boulevard and 44th Drive
• 44th Drive between 10th Street and Hunter Street
• Hunter Street between 44th Drive and Crescent Street
• Crescent Street between Hunter Street and Queens Plaza South
• Queens Plaza South between Crescent Street and 23rd Street
• Queens Plaza North between Crescent Street and 23rd Street
• 23rd Street Queens Plaza South and Queens Plaza North
• Queensboro Bridge (eastbound)
• Queensboro Bridge Bicycle and Pedestrian Path

Manhattan

• Queensboro Bridge (vehicle entrance ramp eastbound)
• East 59th Street between 2nd Avenue and 1st Avenue
• East 60th Street between 1st Avenue and 2nd Avenue
• 1st Avenue between East 59th Street and Willis Avenue Bridge
• Madison Avenue Bridge (westbound)
• 142nd Street between Lenox Avenue/Malcolm X Boulevard and 5th Avenue
• 5th Avenue between 142nd Street and 124th Street 
• Madison Avenue (FDR Service Road) between East 135th Street and East 142nd Street
• East 138th Street between Madison Avenue and 5th Avenue
• West 124th Street between 5th Avenue and Mount Morris Park West
• Mount Morris Park West between West 124th Street and West 120th Street
• West 120th Street between Mount Morris Park West and 5th Avenue
• 5th Avenue between 120th Street and 90th Street
• 90th Street between 5th Avenue and East Drive
• East Drive between 90th Street and Grand Army Plaza
• Grand Army Plaza between East Drive and West 59th Street
• West 59th Street between 5th Avenue and Columbus Circle/8th Avenue/Central Park West
• Columbus Circle between West 59th Street and Central Park Driveway
• Central Park Driveway/8th Avenue Approach to West Drive
• West Drive between 8th Avenue Approach and 85th Street Approach to West Drive
• Terrace Drive between West Drive and East Drive
• Center Drive between West Drive and East Drive
• West 85th Street Approach to West Drive
• West 81st Street Approach to West Drive
• West 77th Street Approach to West Drive
• West 67th Street Approach to West Drive

Bronx

• Willis Avenue Bridge
• East 135th Street between Willis Avenue and Alexander Avenue
• Alexander Avenue between East 135th Street and East 138th Street
• East 138th Street between Alexander Avenue and 3rd Avenue
• 3rd Avenue between East 138th Street and East 139th Street
• Morris Avenue between 139th Street and East 140th Street
• East 140th Street between Morris Avenue and Rider Avenue
• Rider Avenue between East 140th Street and East 138th Street
• East 138th Street between Rider Avenue and Madison Avenue Bridge

Just in case Derek Jeter's magnificent career with the New York Yankees is ever on the verge of being forgotten, two councilwomen from the Bronx are teaming up to bestow another honor on the soon-to-be Hall of Fame shortstop. 

Vanessa Gibson and Diana Ayala are preparing to introduce legislation to rename part of East 161st Street to Jeter Street, per AMNY.com's Alex Mitchell. The street passes right by Yankee Stadium and will intersect with another section of road that's been recently renamed Rivera Street.

That's one half of the Core Four taking up permanent residence on street signs outside the famed ballpark. It remains to be seen if the remaining half—Andy Pettitte and Jorge Posada—will get their own stretch of asphalt. 

Mitchell notes the vote is likely a formality and should pass with ease.

Jeter, currently CEO and part owner of the Miami Marlins, played his entire 20-year career with the Yankees, winning five World Series titles and finishing with 3,465 hits from 1995-2014. His No. 2 jersey was already retired by the club shortly after he retired, and he's expected to be voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame when the ballots are announced January 21.

March is typically a dead period for NHL rumors, with most teams focusing on solidifying themselves for playoff runs rather than personnel movement, but there is some palpable buzz around the league for clubs that appear out of the postseason hunt.

After a decade-long reign as one of the premier dynasties in the NHL, the Chicago Blackhawks are reeling thanks to a lost season. Could major change be on the way behind the bench with Joel Quenneville?

Where do the Calgary Flames go as their season slowly slips away? Could they be in line for an aggressive move at the NHL draft?

The regular season is coming to a close, but the rumor mill suggests there is plenty to look forward to in the offseason.

                         

Tension in Chicago?

Quenneville's run in Chicago has been historic by coaching standards. 

Since taking over behind the bench in 2008, Quenneville is 440-240, including three Stanley Cups, with the Blackhawks. His 882 career coaching wins ranks him second in NHL history, and before losing Monday's game against the San Jose Sharks, Mark Lazerus of the Chicago Sun-Times offered several more staggering statistics about the 59-year-old:

A loss tonight would guarantee the Blackhawks finish with a sub-.500 record (in terms of points percentage).

It will be the first time in Joel Quenneville's 21-year coaching career he will not have a winning record.

— Mark Lazerus (@MarkLazerus) March 27, 2018

In fact, Joel Quenneville has been at least 13 games over .500 for 12 straight seasons.

That's insane.

— Mark Lazerus (@MarkLazerus) March 27, 2018

With the Blackhawks missing the playoffs for the first time under Quenneville, it appears some tensions are close to boiling over within the organization. On Saturday night, Sportsnet's Nick Kypreos shed light on some dirt regarding Quenneville's status with management.

"It's no secret in our industry that [general manager] Stan Bowman and Joel Quenneville don't have the healthiest of relationships," said Kypreos.

He suggested the relationship may have hit rock bottom after Quenneville was late to find out Chicago traded Artemi Panarin for a package centering around Brandon Saad during last year's NHL draft. Panarin is in the midst of his third straight 70-point season, while Saad is on pace for arguably the worst season of his career, with 34 points through 77 games.

Could this sour relationship mean the end of Quenneville in Chicago?

Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman added that Quenneville has two years and $12 million left on his contract, so it would be expensive for Chicago to fire him. Yet it would not be out of the question for Quenneville to perhaps leave of his own accord.

The Blackhawks have the second-highest cap hit in the league and practically no space. The team has $21 million locked up over the next five years between franchise stars Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews, although each is approaching 30 years of age.

On defense, Brent Seabrook has an absurd $6.75 million cap hit through the 2023-24 season and is easily past his prime, as he looked slower this season and was a healthy scratch during a mediocre 24-points-and-counting campaign.

Duncan Keith is 34, accounting for a $5.54 million cap hit through 2022-23 season and has scored just one goal this year on 180 shots. Whether he just experienced bad puck luck or is on the decline is debatable, but his contract is not desirable.

On top of that, Marian Hossa is still due $5.275 million for the next three seasons despite his career likely being over because of medical reasons.

Chicago is an old team full of bad contracts. It does not look like it will be back to its contending ways in a year or two. Do not be surprised if Quenneville decides to jump ship and look for a more promising opportunity elsewhere.

The Carolina Hurricanes and Buffalo Sabres are teams with emerging young talent that could be looking for new head coaches, and Quenneville would be at the top of their lists if he's available.

                     

Calgary Looking Ahead to Draft

As recently as February's trade deadline, the Flames seemed poised to return to the postseason with a fast, skilled team capable of making a run in the Western Conference. Those days are long gone.

Calgary has lost 11 of its 14 games since Feb. 27, including six straight defeats. Instead of preparing for the postseason, the team is eliminated from the playoffs thanks to being 11 points out of a wild-card spot and is looking ahead to the offseason.

What could the summer hold for the Flames? Friedman offered some insight into an offseason priority for the club.

"They don't have a first-round pick this year from the [Travis] Hamonic deal," Friedman said Friday on Toronto's Sportsnet 590. "I heard at the GM meetings that Calgary is looking to get it back. And if they're trading for a first-round pick, it's going to be a big piece."

One player Friedman speculated about being on the block is Dougie Hamilton, who could fetch the first-round pick Calgary covets.

Hamilton is only 24, but he has already logged 418 career NHL games and is in the midst of his fourth straight 40-point season. He would be a top-four defenseman on any team and a stalwart on the back end, so it is no surprise a guy as connected as Friedman believes Hamilton could get a first-rounder in return.

Hamilton does carry a $5.75 million cap hit for the next three seasons.

Sam Bennett is another player who might fit the mold of having enough value to get a first-round pick. He is only 21 and is a skilled top-six forward who needs a new deal soon. He has one more year left at $1.95 million, which helps his value, but he would likely need to be packaged with a prospect and a mid-round pick for Calgary to get its desired return.

He has just 89 points in 236 career games, which is underwhelming considering his immense talent.

Who could be suitors for Hamilton? Calgary could reconnect with the New York Islanders for the second straight offseason, as the Islanders are last in the league in goals against per game this season and are in desperate need of No. 1 defenseman. New York is set to pick in the top 10 in the upcoming draft while also holding Calgary's first-round pick.

The New Jersey Devils also hold a mid-first-rounder and could use a top-four defenseman for their emerging young core in the Eastern Conference. The Edmonton Oilers are also in need of defensive help and could be a great fit if they could find the cap room to accommodate Hamilton.

The possibilities are plenty for Calgary if it gets serious about getting back into the first round. However, the Flames would need to part with an important asset, which would add to the already high level of intrigue associated with the NHL draft every year.

                

Contract information is courtesy of CapFriendly.

Two summers ago, Steven Stamkos dominated NHL headlines as one of the rare elite talents who could land on the free-agent market. Now John Tavares is following that path, and the rumor mill is already buzzing.

The New York Islanders' recent play is making his situation even murkier, but could he be joined by another top-two draft pick in James van Riemsdyk as a free agent? The big winger is looking like the odd man out with the Toronto Maple Leafs, with recent league talk indicating he could be looking for a new club this summer.

Of the two, who is looking more likely to hit the open market? Well, that answer appears pretty clear at the moment.

           

Tavares List Taking Shape

Tavares' impending free agency, like that of Stamkos, has been a major league storyline for well over a year. Both the player and the Islanders organization have expressed public interest in working out a long-term solution, but firm intel of where the Canadian and his camp really stand has been pretty scant.

Yet the list of possible contenders for his services looks to have a couple of front-runners should he become available. Per Steve Simmons of the Toronto Sun, the San Jose Sharks and St. Louis Blues "are thought to be at the top of the list of suitors."

Simmons goes on to speculate about other possible options, but to be honest, the list of "suitors" for a player such as Tavares is always going to include every NHL team. 

Tavares is 27 years old, in the prime of his career and unquestionably one of the 10 best players on the planet.

In 659 games, he has 610 points, including 70 in four of the last five full seasons where he missed less than five games. In the postseason, Tavares has 22 points in 24 games, yet the Islanders are set to somehow miss the playoffs for sixth time in his nine NHL seasons.

The guy is simply a beast, but his signing will require a huge price tag for any suitor in free agency. 

So while the Blues seem like an attractive option with a top-end sniper such as Vladimir Tarasenko on the wing, their cap situation is a bit tight.

They are pretty much right at the cap this season, and they have no big contracts coming off of the books this offseason. Even buying out expensive, overpaid veterans such as Jay Bouwmeester and Alexander Steen would not be enough to create an affordable situation that is also enough to attract Tavares.

On the other hand, the Sharks look like a great fit.

Even with Marc-Edouard Vlasic's cap hit rising from $4.25 million to $7 million and Martin Jones' hit going from $3 million to $5.75 million next season, San Jose will lose the contracts of Eric Fehr, Jannik Hansen, Evander Kane, Joe Thornton and Joel Ward to free up a combined $20.5 million this offseason.

Even if Thornton is brought back, he will command a substantially lower cap hit as he only has 36 points in 47 games and will be 39 next season. That leaves plenty of cash to make Tavares a No. 1 center to play with Brent Burns, Logan Couture, Joe Pavelski and Vlasic, giving the Sharks a core that makes them an instant contender in the West.

Another option that was presented by TSN's Pierre LeBrun is a sign-and-trade. This would allow Tavares to get the eighth year on his extension that he can only get by signing with the Islanders, but he can play elsewhere while New York gets a return for his exit. However, a sign-and-trade has never happened in the salary cap, making its effect on Tavares' value unknown.

San Jose would be an intriguing fit for Tavares and a more feasible one than St. Louis. Either way, July 1 is still a long way away, meaning this sweepstake is bound to take several major turns.

Many other teams will join this list as potential contenders for Tavares, who could become the biggest free agent of the last decade.

No Room for JVR?

Being his hometown squad, Toronto has always been thought of as a top destination for Tavares, but the Maple Leafs' abundance of young talent and cap situation make that highly unlikely at this point. In fact, those circumstances may push a current notable player into free agency.

Since being taken No. 2 overall in the 2007 draft, van Riemsdyk has established himself as a legitimate top-six winger. This is particularly true since coming to the Maple Leafs for the 2012-13 season, where he has posted 287 points in 403 games. This includes twice eclipsing the 30-goal mark and the 60-point mark.

So with Toronto set to make the playoffs for the second straight season, it would seem logical for the Maple Leafs to want to bring back the impending free agent. However, this looks to be a near-impossibility.

Per TSN's Darren Dreger, van Riemsdyk and the Maple Leafs have not had any "meaningful negotiations" as of Thursday. This is not promising for his return to Toronto, especially considering the comparable numbers LeBrun recently threw out for the 28-year-old:

Comps for JVR? Cam Atkinson, 7 yrs x $5.875M; T.J. Oshie, 8 yrs x $5.75M. Both with similar goal totals to JVR last couple years. Does 6-7 years at between $6M and $6.5M aav for JVR make sense? Cap is going up this summer...

— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) March 15, 2018

Looking at Toronto's cap situation, the fit for van Riemsdyk is simply not there. Currently with no cap space, the Maple Leafs drop a combined $16.5 million this offseason with the contract endings of Tyler Bozak, Leo Komarov, Dominic Moore, Tomas Plekanec, Roman Polak and van Riemsdyk. This seems like plenty of room to explore bringing back van Riemsdyk, but there are still several big fish to fry.

Auston Matthews is a year away from a massive contract extension, with Jack Eichel's eight-year, $80 million seeming like a strong comparison. Mitch Marner will need a new extension at the same time, and he will be paid big-time as he already has 121 points in less than two NHL seasons.

That's not enough? William Nylander is due a new deal this offseason, and the 21-year-old has 126 points in 175 games. Three elite talents under 21 years of age needing new long-term extensions and suddenly the cap-space situation looks much tighter.

So van Riemsdyk looks like a lock to hit free agency, and he should be able to cash out. The six years at $6 million makes sense considering Milan Lucic, who is also 28, took home seven years at $6 million two summers ago from the Edmonton Oilers.

Considering van Riemsdyk is a far superior offensive player, he should easily match or exceed that number this offseason, but it won't be with the Maple Leafs.

             

Statistics are courtesy of Hockeydb.com. Contract information is courtesy of CapFriendly.com.

Most of the big names will finally take the court for the quarterfinals Thursday at the 2018 ACC Tournament, but there have already been plenty of fireworks in Brooklyn.

A massive Notre Dame comeback and a surprise run from Boston College have been the highlights thus far from the event, setting up some phenomenal matchups. Six of the eight teams remaining were in the NCAA tournament a year ago, and all but the Eagles have spent time this season ranked in the AP Top 25 poll. 

Clear your schedule, because the action will be going on throughout the day. Here is how you can watch every game from the quarterfinal bracket, plus a brief breakdown and prediction for each contest.

            

ACC Tournament Quarterfinals Schedule

No. 1 Virginia vs. No. 9 Louisville

When: Thursday, March 8 at noon ET

Television: ESPN/ACC Network

No. 4 Clemson vs. No. 12 Boston College

When: Thursday, March 8 at 2 p.m. ET

Television: ESPN/ACC Network

No. 2 Duke vs. No. 10 Notre Dame

When: Thursday, March 8 at 7 p.m. ET

Television: ESPN/ACC Network

No. 3 Miami vs. North Carolina

When: Thursday, March 8 at 9 p.m. ET

Television: ESPN/ACC Network

*All games available on WATCH ESPN for live stream

             

Virginia vs. Louisville

The Virginia Cavaliers operate with extreme efficiency and total discipline. This allowed them to lead the nation in scoring defense at 52.8 points conceded per night while also ranking No. 1 in turnovers per game at just under nine. Virginia will not beat itself.

On the contrary, Louisville has been inconsistent all season. 

The Cardinals exemplified that perfectly in their ridiculous loss to Virginia just a week ago where they blew a 13-point lead. Louisville also lost three straight this season, twice lost by over 25 points and even saw a 26-point lead shrink to single digits in its win Wednesday over Florida State. 

With high-end players like Deng Adel, Quentin Snider and Ray Spalding, the Cardinals have the talent to put up enough points to challenge a Virginia team that ranks 314th in scoring. However, it has been hard to trust this team to play a complete 40 minutes.

The Cavaliers are a much safer bet to grind out a win on Thursday in their signature style. It will be a close game, with Virginia having just one double-digit win since Feb. 1 over a team not named Pittsburgh. Yet, look for Virginia to make less mistakes and force enough bad shots from Louisville to move on to the semifinals for a chance to play in its third title game in the last five seasons. 

         

Clemson vs. Boston College

Boston College has been the tournament darling, having already won two games to move on through as the No. 12 seed. It may be a surprise given their seed, but the Eagles have shown flashes all year of being able to hang with the big boys.

The team notched impressive wins over ranked foes Duke and Miami while dropping single-digit contests with Clemson and Virginia. The issue was stringing together wins, as Boston College only won consecutive games once during regular-season conference play, with Pittsburgh being one of the victories. 

The three-headed monster of guards featuring Ky Bowman, Jordan Chatman and Jerome Robinson are as dynamic a bunch as you will find in the ACC, but depth is an issue. The Eagles rely heavily on their starting rotation, which ESPN Stats and Info documented:

According to SportVU Player Tracking, Boston College starters ran a total of 12.25 miles in today’s win vs NC State.

Through 5 games of the ACC Tournament, the only starting 5 to run farther?

BC in its 1st-round win vs Georgia Tech on Tuesday (12.51).

— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) March 7, 2018

Clemson plays stout enough defense to wear down Boston College, but the Tigers enter the tournament stumbling with losses in four of their last six games.

Can Clemson turn it around in time to advance? For now, look for the hot hand to prevail and for Boston College to be able to keep enough adrenaline alive to outscore the Tigers on Thursday. Momentum is on the Eagles' side, although fatigue may begin to settle in for the semifinals.

            

Duke vs. Notre Dame

An injury to preseason All-American Bonzie Colson was a catalyst for Notre Dame's fall from Top Five squad to bubble team, but the Fighting Irish are rolling now.

They were able to overturn a 21-point deficit to rally past Virginia Tech and set up a rematch of last season's conference title game with Duke. According to ESPN's Jeff Goodman, a win on Thursday could cement Notre Dame's chance to play for it all:

Notre Dame advances with a comeback win over Virginia Tech. Irish get a shot at Duke tomorrow, and hard to imagine Mike Brey & Co., being left out of the field if they beat the Blue Devils.

— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) March 8, 2018

The Fighting Irish have the personnel with Colson and Matt Farrell leading the way to do so along with some extreme resiliency. But the Blue Devils are also a different team of late thanks to a healthy star.

Marvin Bagley is back after missing four straight games in February, and he is coming off a dominant 21-point, 15-rebound effort over a giant North Carolina team that leads the nation in rebounding. Unfortunately for Notre Dame, there is no player on the roster that can guard the gifted freshman.

That goes for pretty much the entire Duke lineup. Trevon Duval's quickness is too much for Notre Dame's guards, and the one-two punch of Bagley and Wendell Carter down low is a nightmare for the Fighting Irish. Colson should be able to get his offensively, but he is in no-man's land in terms of finding a favorable matchup on defense.

If Duke can avoid turnovers, it should be able to get past Notre Dame thanks to its pure athleticism. Expect the Fighting Irish to make it interesting, but they are just too overmatched by the Blue Devils' firepower.

            

Miami vs. North Carolina

A team like North Carolina as the No. 6 seed is a tough break for a higher seed. Just ask Miami after it watch the Tar Heels wipe the floor with Syracuse in a 78-59 win on Wednesday.

The Tar Heels are great at every position on the floor, starting with point guard Joel Berry II and wing Theo Pinson. Berry can get into the lane with ease and create for his teammates, while Pinson is a matchup nightmare for guards with his bulky 6'6" frame. Want to focus on guarding the perimeter? Then North Carolina will just play through Luke Maye, who is averaging a double-double with 17.7 points and 10.1 rebounds.

The Hurricanes were able to take down North Carolina 91-88 on Ja'Quan Newton's miracle heave about two weeks ago, and they could cause similar problems again with their smaller lineup. Miami utilizes primarily five guards in Bruce Brown, Anthony Lawrence II, Chris Lykes, Newton and Lonnie Walker IV while deploying leading scorer Dewan Huell inside. This created a run-and-gun type game that North Carolina is not suited to play.

Which Miami team will take the court is somewhat of a mystery. Since Jan. 31, the team won three straight, lost three straight and then won four in a row to close out the regular season. There is not a lot of middle ground with the Hurricanes, which is a bit concerning.

If Miami can shoot over 50 percent, it should have a good shot at walking away with a win. That is not a sure bet, though, and North Carolina's ability to generate second-chance points is a huge insurance policy. 

This is the biggest toss-up game of the night, but the Tar Heels' length and dependability give them a slight edge heading into Thursday.

          

Individual statistics are courtesy of ESPN.com. Team statistics are courtesy of NCAA.com. 

With the Super Bowl over, the NFL's landscape is all about player personnel changes, and the draft is the offseason's premier event in that capacity.

Like the rest of this offseason, quarterbacks are all the rage in the 2018 NFL draft. Numerous teams have serious question marks at the sport's most important position, including several with top 10 picks. With a few top signal-callers available, there will be plenty of clamoring at the top of the draft.

The first-round draft order is certain to change thanks to said demand. Also, the Kirk Cousins factor—and possibly Tyrod Taylor, for that matter—could change plans. But familiar names should still come off of the board early.

                   

2018 NFL Mock Draft

1. Cleveland Browns: QB Josh Rosen, UCLA

2. New York Giants: QB Sam Darnold, USC

3. Indianapolis Colts: DE Bradley Chubb, NC State

4. Cleveland Browns (via Houston): OG Quenton Nelson, Notre Dame

5. Denver Broncos: OT Mike McGlinchey, Notre Dame

6. New York Jets: QB Baker Mayfield, Oklahoma

7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: DB Minkah Fitzpatrick, Alabama

8. Chicago Bears: WR Calvin Ridley, Alabama

*9. Oakland Raiders: LB Roquan Smith, Georgia

*10: San Francisco 49ers: WR Courtland Sutton, SMU

11. Miami Dolphins: RB Saquon Barkley, Penn State

12. Cincinnati Bengals: OL Isaiah Wynn, Georgia

13. Washington Redskins: LB Tremaine Edmunds, Virginia Tech

14. Green Bay Packers: CB Josh Jackson, Iowa

15. Arizona Cardinals: QB Josh Allen, Wyoming

16. Baltimore Ravens: WR James Washington, Oklahoma State

17. Los Angeles Chargers: LB Rashaan Evans, Alabama

18. Seattle Seahawks: OT Orlando Brown, Oklahoma

19. Dallas Cowboys: CB Denzel Ward, Ohio State

20. Detroit Lions: OG Will Hernandez, UTEP

21. Buffalo Bills: WR Christian Kirk, Texas A&M

22. Buffalo Bills (via Kansas City): OG Billy Price, Ohio State

23. Los Angeles Rams: S Derwin James, Florida State

24. Carolina Panthers: CB Carlton Davis, Auburn

25. Tennessee Titans: DE Marcus Davenport, UTSA

26. Atlanta Falcons: DT Da'Ron Payne, Alabama

27. New Orleans Saints: DT Vita Vea, Washington

28. Pittsburgh Steelers: DE Harold Landry, Boston College

29. Jacksonville Jaguars: QB Lamar Jackson, Louisville

30. Minnesota Vikings: OT Connor Williams, Texas

31. New England Patriots: DE Arden Key, LSU

32. Philadelphia Eagles: DT Maurice Hurst, Michigan

*A coin-flip will be held to determine the No. 9 and No. 10 picks.

              

Familiar Scenario at No. 1 and No. 2

An NFL cliche will always ring true: It is a quarterback-driven league.

Thus, when multiple signal-callers are considered top-five talents, teams will always jockey at the top of the draft to select their quarterback. There is a reason quarterbacks have gone first and second overall in two of the past three years and three times since 2012, when Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III broke on to the scene.

With Josh Allen, Sam Darnold, Baker Mayfield and Josh Rosen all garnering serious attention as potential high first-round picks, the stage is set for two quarterback-hungry franchises to find themselves following the recent trend.

The Cleveland Browns and the New York Giants are both inclined to take a quarterback at their draft slots. The Browns' disastrous quarterback history is well-documented, as Johnny Manziel was the last Cleveland player to win a game on a Sunday under center, which came way back on Dec. 13, 2015.

They passed on Carson Wentz in 2016 and then on Deshaun Watson last year, so would they trade back a third time?

According to ESPN 850 in Cleveland's Nathan Zegura, there would be only one reason to take this route again:

I could be wrong, but I don’t think there is any qb out there other than Kirk Cousins who would make the browns even consider not taking a QB at 1.

— Nathan Zegura (@NathanZegura) February 15, 2018

If Cleveland were to snag Cousins, they could either trade back or select two top-end players to position around him. For now, though, expect them to go with Rosen, who is still the most complete quarterback in the draft given his arm talent and toughness in the pocket. He was sacked 54 times over the past three years, which means he is not afraid to take a hit.

Want to talk about resiliency? Rosen has exhibited that too, as arguably no other quarterback could have led the incredible comeback he did to open the year against Texas A&M:

As for No. 2, there is a bit more volatility.

The Giants should be looking for a quarterback given the disaster that took place last season but have no need to be married to taking one with Eli Manning still under contract for the next two years. They could trade back and aim to rebuild one of the worst offensive lines in football, which would not be a bad decision.

Either way, any team that would be willing pay the price of moving up to No. 2 overall would likely only be doing so to draft a quarterback, which makes the one-and-two overall scenario more certain. Darnold is the best choice at No. 2 simply because of his accuracy.

No other quarterback can fit a ball into a tight window like Darnold, but he does need to improve his decision-making after tossing 13 picks a year ago. Yet more interceptions are to be expected given he threw the ball 114 more times as a sophomore compared to his freshman season. NFL Network's Charley Casserly broke down further what makes Darnold so good:

Why I rate Sam Darnold @USC_Athletics over Josh Rosen @UCLAFootball @Browns @Giants @nflnetwork pic.twitter.com/JhY5K8jwEt

— Charley Casserly (@CharleyCasserly) February 15, 2018

Allen or Mayfield could easily break into this group, but it looks destined to be another draft with two quarterbacks taken at the top.

                  

Don't Forget About the Receivers

Lost in the hoopla over the quarterbacks is that 2018's wide receiver class has the potential to approach the level of the vaunted 2014 group that included Odell Beckham Jr., Mike Evans, Jarvis Landry and more.

At the top is the clear best possession receiver in the class: Calvin Ridley. 

As a freshman, Ridley wasted no time ascending to Alabama's No. 1 receiver role, logging a whopping 89 catches for 1,045 yards and seven touchdowns. Even with a drop in downfield passing ability in the Crimson Tide offense, Ridley still amassed 135 catches over the past two seasons. The guy simply gets open, and 105. 3 The Fan in Dallas' Jeff Cavanaugh noted the Alabama product's ability to do so in critical downs:

Playing around with creating a little receiver chart. 3rd down catches this year:

Michael Gallup - 23
DJ Moore - 19
Calvin Ridley - 17
Courtland Sutton - 13
Anthony Miller - 12
James Washington - 7

— Jeff Cavanaugh (@timeforjeffrey) February 11, 2018

Ridley is similar to Larry Fitzgerald in that he is an elite security blanket. He makes the catches his team needs him to make, and he can also make plays downfield thanks to his top-end route running. He would be a perfect fit for the Chicago Bears, with whom he would be alongside a developing quarterback like Mitchell Trubisky, whose top receiver last year was Kendall Wright with a mere 614 yards.

Courtland Sutton also has superstar potential thanks to his scary combination of being 6'4" and having downfield speed to burn. Over the past two years, Sutton racked up just under 2,500 yards to go with 144 receptions and 22 touchdowns for SMU.

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo could use some help earning that gargantuan contract considering his top target was Marquise Goodwin, with 962 yards, followed by George Kittle and Pierre Garcon, who each totaled a little more than 500 yards.

Goodwin had never eclipsed 500 yards in his career until last year, which throws doubt on his reliability as a No. 1 receiver. Sutton would fit in as an immediate force on the outside who could compete with NFL-sized defensive backs. If he can realize his immense upside, then look out.

As for the other two receivers to land in this first-round mock draft, it is all about speed.

James Washington could be looked at as a one-trick pony given his frequency to score on deep throws and the 20 yards per catch he posted over the past three seasons. However, his burst off of the line and ability to get open are underrated. Pro Football Focus' Steve Palazzolo noted that no other receiver was better in tight coverage a year ago:

Oklahoma State WR James Washington led the nation with 17.2 yards/attempt when facing press coverage, best in the nation.

Best WR vs. press at the @seniorbowl in PFF 1-on-1 grading#PFFDraft

— Steve Palazzolo (@StevePalazzolo_) February 15, 2018

This opens the window for Washington to dominate underneath in loose coverage, making him a dynamic weapon. At worst, Washington will be a Mike Wallace-type player in the NFL, but his ceiling makes him a terror for opposing defenses, as they would pretty much always need to send help to account for his speed.

Finally, Christian Kirk may end up being the best offensive value pick in the draft.

Kirk can contribute anywhere. Need a security blanket underneath? How about Kirk's 229 catches during his three years at Texas A&M. Explosive plays? Kirk was among the most dynamic threats in the SEC during his college career, and he racked up 26 touchdowns in the process. Special teams? Kirk averaged a ridiculous 22 yards per return on punts and scored six times in his career, including his first return, via KAGS in College Station's Colin Deaver:

My lasting image of @ChristianDavon2 at Texas A&M: his first game as an Aggie, housing the first punt he ever received against his hometown Arizona State Sun Devils. Kirk was the real deal from day 1. #12thMan pic.twitter.com/vYeVn9OIrA

— Colin Deaver (@ColinDeaver_) January 2, 2018

Oh, and he also brought a kick back for a touchdown as an Aggie.

Kirk offers instant offense, and his route running is good enough to allow him to be a playmaker on third down. Putting him alongside a possession receiver like Jordan Matthews with the Buffalo Bills would be a great fit for a team that lacked explosiveness in the return game—ranking 24th in punt return yards and 17th in kick-return yardage—along with any downfield threat.

Expect this class to make some noise next season, and look for it to appear even better three years down the road.

                      

Statistics are courtesy of ESPN.com unless otherwise noted. 

Trade talks are heating up in MLB, and the latest rumors ahead of the 2017 Winter Meetings center around two of the biggest stars in the game.

Giancarlo Stanton has been a prominent name in trade talks for quite some time now, but recent buzz indicates that his situation is moving closer to a conclusion. Meanwhile, Manny Machado's name has surfaced with the final year of his contract coming up.

Moving both would certainly alter the landscape of MLB, but how feasible are these possibilities?

Let us delve into these rumblings and analyze what effect they could have on the league if true.

         

Where Does Stanton Stand?

The constantly fluid trade developments for Stanton took another turn late Thursday night, as his list of destinations seemingly shrank.

Per Craig Mish of SiriusXM Sports, Stanton approved the Chicago Cubs, Houston Astros, Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees as teams he would waive his no-trade rights for. 

This list is intriguing for several reasons, starting with the fact that it does not include the San Francisco Giants or the St. Louis Cardinals, two teams that met with Stanton and have often been linked with him.

The Cardinals in particular made a strong offer, according to Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, which included top pitching prospects Sandy Alcantara or Jack Flaherty and taking on the 10 years, roughly $295 million remaining on Stanton's mammoth contract.

However, both the Cardinals and Giants are in unclear territory for Stanton, despite each making an offer the Miami Marlins would accept, per Mish:

The only two deals that were agreed upon with the Marlins were with St Louis and San Francisco so Stanton took meetings with both of those clubs despite not being on his preferred list. Again, unclear at this time where they stand.

— Craig Mish (@CraigMish) December 8, 2017

Stanton has also apparently made it clear that he wants to compete for championships for the foreseeable future. His four preferred destinations made up the league championship matchups last season, and each has a core in place to contend for the next several years. Yet all four have serious obstacles that could prevent such a trade from going down.

The Astros have a bevy of young talent they need to lock up on the heels of their World Series run. Considering they were slightly below the league average last season in payroll, it seems unlikely they could afford even two-thirds of Stanton's contract while holding on to other key pieces.

The Cubs and Dodgers are in similar situations to each other after representing the National League each of the past two seasons. The Dodgers had the top payroll in baseball last season with Julio Arias, Cody Bellinger, Yasmani Grandal, Corey Seager and Chris Taylor all now needing new contracts. Acquiring Stanton would require moving several core players, which does not seem logical considering Los Angeles' success in recent years.

Chicago has Javier Baez, Kris Bryant, Willson Contreras, Ian Happ, Kyle Hendricks, Addison Russell and Kyle Schwarber all needing raises. Unless they want to move two or three of these players for one monster contract, the Cubs would be wise to look elsewhere.

The Yankees are the scariest destination considering the power they already have in their lineup. ESPN's Buster Olney provided a snapshot of what the Bronx Bombers could field if Stanton were added to the mix:

If the Yankees land Giancarlo Stanton, this is what their lineup could look like:
Brett Gardner
Aaron Judge
Giancarlo Stanton
Greg Bird
Gary Sanchez
Didi Gregorius
Starlin Castro
Chase Headley
Aaron Hicks

— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) December 8, 2017

However, New York just got Alex Rodriguez and CC Sabathia's huge deals off of their payroll, and adding Stanton's money would put it in a tough spot with the group of young stars coming up that will soon need big contracts.

Jacoby Ellsbury's $21.1 million annual contract would have to be included in such a deal, and even still the Yankees would have an outfield logjam of Brett Gardner, Aaron Hicks, Aaron Judge and Stanton along with top prospects Estevan Florial and Clint Frazier knocking on the door.

As of now, it appears that either the Marlins will have to take a lesser deal or Stanton will have to expand his list to make a trade work. While wanting to play for a contender is understandable, there is a reason why those teams are elite in the first place. They cannot simply move their rosters around to accommodate a player like Stanton.

Unless a major development unfolds, this situation may drag on further.

     

Machado Possibly Available

A 25-year-old third baseman who can hit and has a rocket arm is something every team would sign up for. Well, it seems one could be available shortly.

According FanRag Sports' Jon Heyman, the Baltimore Orioles are taking calls on Manny Machado. The superstar is a free agent after this upcoming season, and while the team wants to keep him, it may not be willing to dish out a contract similar to Stanton's, per Heyman.

The Orioles are not shopping Machado, but they are listening to other teams. Heyman adds that the Yankees and Philadelphia Phillies are among the teams expected to have the most interest. 

In just over five seasons, Machado is batting .279 with 138 homers and 406 RBI. Even in a relatively down 2017, the three-time All Star still smacked 33 dingers. Thus, it would obviously take a ton to bring in Machado, but the Phillies and Yankees each have the young talent to do so.

The Yankees are the more interesting option considering they are already built to win a World Series, but they have a crowded infield that would need to be ironed out to fit Machado. The team would hardly hesitate to move Chase Headley, but Starlin Castro and Didi Gregorius along with rising stud Gleyber Torres and big bat Miguel Andujar also currently in the fold means several moves would need to happen.

New York is already expected to be a major player for Machado if he hits free agency, but is it content to risk waiting it out just for him to be traded elsewhere and sign a long-term deal? The Yankees have the luxury of possessing so many quality players, particularly in the infield, that they could take this approach.

Rather than trade a roster player or two in addition to a top prospect, the Yankees would be smart to go another year with an infield that brought them to the ALCS while also giving Torres a year to shine. If change is needed, then explore breaking up the infield.

For now, patience is key for a team that does not need to get desperate for talent.

Cardinals Not Done

The Cardinals surely did not put all of their eggs in one basket in terms of roster moves this offseason. Rumor has it that another veteran outfielder could be on the trade block.

Per Heyman, some around MLB believe St. Louis could start shopping Dexter Fowler. Whether this is related to the team's pursuit of Stanton is unknown, but the Cardinals have shown they will trade a recent free agent signing as they moved Mike Leake last year, Heyman noted.

Yet the expectation is the Cardinals would want a trade partner to take on some salary in a Fowler trade, similar to the Leake move.

After winning a World Series with the Cubs in 2016, Fowler was the Cardinals' top free agent addition when he signed a five-year deal worth $82.5 million. While the soon-to-be 32-year-old put up career highs in homers, 18, and RBI, 64, in his lowest number of plate appearances, 491, since his rookie season, his age and term on his contract may be regrettable to St. Louis.

The Cardinals may want to maximize their return on Fowler before he potentially declines over the next few years. For a roster looking to get younger, a quality position prospect could be enough to ship out Fowler.

A team like the Colorado Rockies could be a destination given their need for a third outfielder. Fowler could slot in as a nice option in the bottom of the order for a team that is already on the rise following a playoff berth last season. 

Adding Fowler would solidify an already stout lineup, and it would allow the Rockies to focus on bolstering their pitching staff in free agency.

         

Statistics are courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com. Contract information is courtesy of Spotrac.com.

Two of New York City's most popular athletes unwittingly received some recognition in the political realm this month, as New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge and New York Knicks big man Kristaps Porzingis each received votes in the mayoral election.

According to CBS New York, Porzingis received nine write-in votes, per the Board of Elections certification report. Judge received a total of 10 votes.

Democrat Bill de Blasio was re-elected as New York City mayor with 66.5 percent of the vote, beating out Republican Nicole Malliotakis and her 27.8 percent, according to the New York Times.

Judge and Porzingis are two of the fastest-rising stars in their respective sports.

The 25-year-old Judge is coming off a monster season in which he hit .284 with 52 home runs and 114 RBI en route to being named American League Rookie of the Year and finishing second in AL MVP voting.

Judge also helped lead the Yanks to within one win of reaching the World Series.

Team success has largely eluded Porzingis during his tenure with the Knicks, but he is quickly developing into one of the NBA's elite bigs.

After putting up 18.1 points, 7.2 rebounds and 2.0 blocks per game during his sophomore NBA campaign in 2016-17, the 22-year-old Porzingis has exploded in 2017-18 with 27.0 points, 7.2 rebounds and 2.2 blocks per contest.

The Latvian star has also helped the Knicks overachieve as a whole this season, as evidenced by a 10-10 record after being picked by most to be among the NBA's cellar-dwellers.

The Yankees have the pieces in place to be World Series contenders next season and for many years to come, and while the Knicks still have some rebuilding to do, Porzingis' mere presence gives them a bright future as well.

Both the Yankees and Knicks have been searching for their next Derek Jeter and Patrick Ewing, respectively, and based on their ability and popularity, Judge and Porzingis are well on their way to filling those massive shoes.

Teams in need of pitching help are in luck, as the 2018 MLB free-agent class features numerous top-end starters and All-Star relievers.

A former Cy Young Award winner highlights the recent free-agency rumors, while two quality arms have also been in the news. Unsurprisingly, they are being linked to contending teams looking to bolster their pitching staffs in an attempt to chase a World Series title next season.

Take a look at the latest buzz in MLB circles and predictions for where some of the biggest free agents will land.

       

Brewers Looking for a Splash?

The Milwaukee Brewers became one of the biggest surprises in baseball last season, going 86-76 and coming up one game short of the second wild-card spot in the National League. Now, it appears evident the team is looking to move up into the next tier of the NL.

Per Jon Morosi of MLB Network, Milwaukee is making a play for Jake Arrieta:

Source: #Brewers showing interest in free agent Jake Arrieta. With Jimmy Nelson expected to miss portion of 2018 after shoulder surgery, team is looking for top-of-the-rotation upgrades. @MLB @MLBNetwork

— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) November 20, 2017

Pitching was not an issue for the Brewers last season, as they ranked fifth in the NL with a 4.00 ERA. This was even more true for their starting pitchers, whose 398 earned runs were the fourth-fewest allowed in the NL.

Jimmy Nelson, who impressed with a 12-6 record and 3.49 ERA in 29 starts last season, will miss the early part of next season as Morosi noted, but there are still quality arms to pick up the slack. Zach Davies went 17-9 last season with a 3.90 ERA, while Chase Anderson was 12-4 with a 2.74 ERA.

Milwaukee lacked depth behind this Big Three, but the addition of Arrieta would give the Brewers one of the NL's best rotations. However, it must come at the right price.

Arrieta is 31 years old and has shown signs of slowing down the past two seasons. After posting fantastic campaigns in 2014 (10-5, 2.53 ERA) and 2015 (Cy Young Award, 22-6, 1.77 ERA), Arrieta is a combined 32-18 with a 3.30 ERA in the last two seasons. His ERA has risen each of the past two years, yet he is still due for a raise from the $15.6 million he collected this past year.

Joe Zenzola of 105.7 FM in Milwaukee sees going after Arrieta as too great of a financial risk for the Brewers, which the numbers seem to indicate is a valid concern:

Some of you will not agree with this...and that's fine...

2018 should not be the year the #Brewers go for it. Give me another year of what I just saw before I can fully believe in them. Don't overpay for guys like Lynn or Arrieta. Be smart about this, Stearns...

— Joe Zenzola (@RadioJoeSports) November 20, 2017

Guys like Johnny Cueto, Cole Hamels, Rick Porcello and Jordan Zimmermann each make over $20 million annually, which looks to be the class Arrieta would fall into. It does not make sense for Milwaukee, considering Arrieta's age, to give out more than a three-year deal for this kind of money. Yet, do not be surprised if it overpays.

The fact that the Brewers are the first team to be linked to Arrieta means they are probably very interested. Free agency typically entails poor financial decisions, but Arrieta would help greatly in getting Milwaukee to the next level. Still, Milwaukee's offensive issues could offset this addition, since the unit ranked 10th in the NL in runs scored last season.

So, is Arrieta's contract worth this risk? The smart play is probably no, but the indications right now seem to be that Milwaukee is willing to gamble to improve the rotation, so expect the Brewers to be major players here.

       

Finalists Emerge for Cobb

Heading into last season, it appeared Alex Cobb had dug himself a deep hole for his contract year given his porous 2016. However, the right-hander bounced back to make himself one of the top free-agent arms on the market.

Cobb was a solid 12-10 with a 3.66 ERA for a bad Tampa Bay Rays team, a great improvement from his disastrous 8.59 ERA he accumulated in just five starts the previous year. The three years prior, Cobb posted at least 10 wins per season with a 3.19 ERA. Naturally, teams are vying hard for his services.

According to Peter Gammons, the "industry consensus" is that the Chicago Cubs and New York Yankees are the two major contenders for Cobb. Considering these two teams are built to contend for a World Series title for the next five years at least, it would make sense that Cobb would have his sights set on joining them. After all, winning is his No. 1 concern, as he relayed to MLB Network Radio:

Alex Cobb will value winning over money in free agency#Rays pic.twitter.com/xL3bwiFaNA

— MLB Network Radio on SiriusXM (@MLBNetworkRadio) November 10, 2017

Cobb is a great option as a third or fourth starter, and he should not come at too pricey of a raise from the $4.2 million he earned last season. It comes down to who of the Cubs and Yankees provide the better fit.

Chicago offers a more prominent role with Arrieta gone and Jon Lester coming off a down year of a 4.33 ERA. Cobb would likely be the second or third starter behind Kyle Hendricks or Lester, but the Cubs have more questions than the Yankees. First, the team lacks much support in the bullpen, especially with Wade Davis likely gone, per 670 The Score's Julie DiCaro. The mediocre depth in the rotation could also be an issue to drive down the Cubs' win total next season.

As for the Yankees, they are trending the greatest of arguably any team in baseball. New York will only improve with top prospects Chance Adams and Gleybar Torres joining an already stacked young core, and the team's rotation is dynamite with a top three of Sonny Gray, Luis Severino and Masahiro Tanaka. 

Should Cobb join New York, he would be the fourth starter with Jordan Montgomery claiming the No. 5 spot. Bringing in Cobb could mean the team does not bring back CC Sabathia, who was a leader in the clubhouse while also notching a fantastic 14-5 record last season.

The Yankees would probably put Cobb in the best position to succeed, but the Cubs have a greater need for him and would likely be more willing to jack up their offer. 

The Cubs were the first of the two teams to emerge as a contender, as DiCaro's note on Cobb came out several days before Gammons pinned the Yankees as players. Given how desperate Chicago is to add starting pitching, expect that to be Cobb's destination.

       

Top Reliever Drawing Interest

After notching 29 saves last season while splitting time between the Minnesota Twins and the Washington Nationals, Brandon Kintzler set himself up to be one of the relief options on the free-agent market. According to the latest buzz, teams are lining up for the 33-year-old.

Per Morosi, the Colorado Rockies and the St. Louis Cardinals are two teams looking for a closer that are eyeing Kintzler. The Cardinals were one of the league's top relief units a year ago, ranking seventh in MLB with a 3.81 ERA, but they only converted on 43 of 60 save opportunities. The Rockies meanwhile could use any help they can get, as their 4.40 ERA was the 10th-worst in baseball.

The Twins are also looking to bring back Kintzler, as Mike Berardino of the Pioneer Press reported almost two weeks ago:

#mntwins are among a handful of teams to express early interest in FA reliever Brandon Kintzler, who recorded 45 saves for them in 2016-17. #Nationals would like to retain him as well. Stood out in WSN clubhouse and on the mound after being traded.

— Mike BerardinoNDI (@MikeBerardino) November 9, 2017

Minnesota would be an intriguing option since Kintzler had the most success of his career there. In 99.2 innings with the Twins over two years, Kintzler allowed just 33 runs and was named an All-Star last season.

In terms of winning now, the Cardinals would probably be Kintzler's ideal situation. The team has the payroll and pieces in place to retool for a run in 2018 after a down 2017, and being a pitcher in St. Louis is much more desirable than Colorado, where routine fly balls turn into homers.

Look for Minnesota and St. Louis to be Kintzler's two finalists, with the Cardinals having more finances to offer.

        

Statistics are courtesy of MLB.com. Contract information is courtesy of Spotrac. 

Twitter. It’s a wonderful, beautiful trash heap of miserable mayhem and funny jokes that quickly get beaten into the ground mercilessly. I hate it, and I spend all day there. It’s also a place where like-minded sports fans can come together, show support for their teams, complain endlessly and beg for the sweet release of the offseason. Those special groups are the Sports Twitter communities.

Team and local Twitter subsets are loosely defined and freewheeling. The analytics dorks? Part of it. Sports talk radio hot takers? Members. Bandwagoners? On board. People who earnestly use 280 characters? Sadly welcome. 

But it’s not always fun, games, memes and score updates. After all, in the big picture, most pro sports teams stink. And even when a team is doing really well, some communities can’t help but pick fights and seek out things to complain about (hello, Eagles Twitter). A sizable chunk of sports Twitter is a cesspool of complaining, anger, anxiety, bewilderment and more complaining. So, all things considered—team futility, fan hostility, general hopelessness, etc.—which sports Twitter communities are the saddest? 

Warning: these communities have been known to use profanity.

8. Dolphins Twitter: It Exists

On the surface, it’s easy to mock the Miami Dolphins and their fans. They’ve been irrelevant since Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, are a mainstay on a Twitter account that tweets pictures of empty stadiums and play this ridiculous fight song on the rare occasions they score. It’s not hard to see why fans would be mad: 

INSTANT REPLAY: Every member of #DolphinsTwitter when they got the #Jaytrain news at work today: pic.twitter.com/f3IectbUC1

— Thomas (@nashmax73) October 31, 2017

https://twitter.com/travisbrunk/status/930117894679203841

You know the Dolphins suck when you’re still depressed after they win. #FinsUp

— Matt Kesterson (@Kesterdaughter) October 8, 2017

And that’s not even touching how the team’s former O-line coach foolishly filmed his extracurriculars.

But here’s the thing about local members of Dolphins Twitter: They’re happier than most of us. I’m from Philadelphia, and our most famous export is a fictional, miserable boxer who lost. Miami has Pitbull, the literal most positive man on the entire planet, and DJ Khaled, the second-most positive man on the planet. And why are they so positive? They’re in Miami. Every time I see a picture of a half-empty Dolphins (or Heat or Marlins) game, I always think the same thing: I wouldn’t be there watching that team either—it’s Miami. That’s why Dolphins Twitter is at the bottom of this list. While they should be happy, it’s super impressive they can fight through all that “Mr. Worldwide wearing a youth medium baseball jersey” joy and get to the sadness of it all. Kudos, Dolphins Twitter. 

The Five Stages of Grief

Denial

If the #Dolphins can get their shit together they could actually make a run, the AFC is so wide open in my opinion #FinsUp

— Air Force Vet (@iluvcgars) November 12, 2017

Bonus:

Adam Gase isn't looking to lose. He also knows more about QBs than any of us. If he thinks Cutler is better than Moore I believe him.

— Pablo The Champ (@pabloknows) October 15, 2017

Anger

https://twitter.com/iNeedTequila/status/923754143524818944

Bargaining

Suck for Saquon #FinsUp

— DON DRAPER (@osmelvergara) October 31, 2017

Depression

Shit is hard to watch but blame is all around. Y'all just want to make Cutler your scapegoat this season. #DolphinsTwitter

— Joe Morgan #FinsUP🐬👆🏼 (@TheSaltyDolfan) October 15, 2017

Acceptance

Tbh maybe Gase is tanking to draft his quarterback #Finsup

— Alejandro 🇨🇴 (@MiamiAlejandro) October 1, 2017

7. Knicks Twitter: A Success Story

Welcome to the first (but definitely not last) appearance from New York on this list. Honestly, any other year, the Knickerbockers community would be top-five, but Phil Jackson is gone, James Dolan is quiet(er) and Kristaps Porzingis is a superstar. He’s like if the Monstars stole the ability from every good player and shoved it into Stick Stickly. But in the good ol’ days—earlier this year—things were different. ‘Staps skipped his exit interview, Carmelo Anthony was Melo-ing all over the place and pre-ouster Phil Jackson was making everything worse. That, in addition to every New Yorker’s innate need to feel and be superior to others, made for a sad mix:

a long suffering #knicks fan since 1983 as a little kid 95% of me want the best for our organization, city&fans ,5% I want Phil to fail bad

— Knicks-Yankees -JETS -NFL- me7o- music loyalty (@forevershinin) June 19, 2017

Well #Knicks fans, here's to hoping David Griffin replaces Phil Jackson in 2018 pic.twitter.com/xsrvZjXPyj

— Andrew Claudio (@AndrewJClaudio) June 19, 2017

https://twitter.com/knicksjets4life/status/854830745281540096

Same guy who wasted Dolan 💰 on

Delembert
Calderon
Odom
Metta
Early
Galloway
Larkin
Shved

Great Job Phil.. Donations r much appreciated 😡😵

— 24\7 🔥 Knicks 👑 (@DonaldP47082631) April 18, 2017

Why aren't these wall-sized murals of James Dolan & his kazoo eating the same string of spaghetti https://t.co/AY4yuUqlDU

— Dan Carson (@thedoctorcarson) October 3, 2017

 

And we can’t mention Dolan and his kazoo without showing it off:

James Dolan's newest blues song is about politicians and features a kazoo. http://t.co/OWnXNUGA7B https://t.co/mDsN1uWBnl

— SB Nation NBA (@SBNationNBA) September 16, 2014

The Five Stages of Grief

Denial

So Phil Jackson becomes the Knicks president and James Dolan and Steve Mills all of a sudden become available to the media. #ZenEffect

— KnicksNation (@KnicksNation) March 20, 2014

Anger

Knicks Fans need to wake up & Boycott this Team TOTALLY until things change. Dolan has more Loyalty to Phil THAN YOU.
RT to Boycott

— Mr. P (@TotalP442) April 19, 2017

Also, you can just search “Dolan” and any profane word of your choosing.

Bargaining

A victory for the resistance. We spoke this into existence. Now, we turn to Dolan. #DolanDidThis #FireDolan #KnicksTape pic.twitter.com/wQvlRVqdet

— Mike Mulraney (@mullrainee) June 28, 2017

Depression

https://twitter.com/World_Wide_Wob/status/830917091083497473

Acceptance

And The Knicks are on the win column! Defeated The Nets @ MSG! Well it's good to finally win! Now can Dolan sell the team #Knicks

— The Heart of NYC 🕵🏿‍♂️ 👔 💼 (@MoLovesNY) October 28, 2017

6. Oilers Twitter: Northern Negativity

The Edmonton Oilers are probably the best team on this list. They’re in great shape. Last season, they made the playoffs for the first time in over 10 years, took a second-round matchup to seven games and did it all on the back of 20-year-old superstar Connor McDavid. But the Oilers lost four of their first five games to start this season and currently sit with only 16 points, the third-lowest total in the NHL. This is what sets Oilers Twitter apart.

Most other communities on this list have been bad for a while and are still bad. The Oilers were bad for a while, but now they’re good. Real good. But they’re supposed to be way better than they are, which has spawned a unique phenomenon in sports Twitter communities: Incredulous Twitter. Part shrugging, part angry, part confused, Oilers Twitter is doing some really great work in the “sad Twitter” department, though its spot on this list may be more temporary than anyone else’s.

All the great work is being done in the hashtag #HereComeTheOilers, which is basically a gif party no one wants to be at. They’re having fun with sad Twitter before it sucks their souls away:

#HereComeTheOilers pic.twitter.com/b0fJiyISUq

— Greggggg (@DonaldsonG61) November 2, 2017

https://twitter.com/DJPh03NiX/status/925922139848392710

#HereComeTheOilers pic.twitter.com/mOuGsE1mit

— x-William James (@William_J87) October 29, 2017

Cause it started out looking fine, and then... 🙈
#HereComeTheOilers pic.twitter.com/lTGgeMClU7

— Defence Minister 🏒 (@TheScottMac) October 26, 2017

 

Pretty much the only thing happening on Oilers Twitter outside of mocking the Oilers is people mad about Oilers Twitter:

Want to see crazy? Go on Oilers twitter after a loss

— ❌️ - Shannon Baerwald🇨🇦 (@ShannonBaerwald) October 29, 2017

Me: check out this goofy image of Kris Russell
Oilers twitter: SHUT UP STOP BEING NEGATIVE COULD U DO BETTER MCDAVID DIDNT BACKCKECK THE NDP pic.twitter.com/397IAQlIMX

— Cam Lewis (@cooomzy) October 21, 2017

 

The Five Stages of Grief

Denial

https://twitter.com/deannak99/status/921217980934922241

Anger

Just poking my head back in from my Twitter silence to remind you all that Peter Chiarelli actively made the team worse this summer. This is on him an he should be fired for it. Back to my hole I go. #Oilers

— Alex Thomas (@Alex_Thomas14) November 5, 2017

Bargaining

Alright, people, let's try to turn the karma around here. Let's try #OilersSilverLinings and see what happens. I'll go first... -bm

— Oilersnation.com, Oily Since ‘07 (@OilersNation) October 18, 2017

Depression

We have 10 years of experience watching awful Oiler teams which should help us deal with this #OilersSilverLinings

— Corey Morrish (@SANDMAN_947) October 18, 2017

Acceptance

My favourite thing about the Oilers is how they'll never let #HereComeTheOilers die out

— Fake Steinberg (@fake_steinberg) October 21, 2017

5. Jets Twitter: Football’s Mets

In case you haven’t been paying attention to the NFL this season, here’s a quick update: The New York Giants are very, very bad. They’re a disaster. Their coach (for now) Ben McAdoo isn’t exactly a fountain of inspiration. Eli Manning is a shadow of who he once was. They have one win. But why are the Jets here and not the Giants? Let’s ask Giants Twitter: 

https://twitter.com/HeyyNikkixo/status/917502081707270144

#Giants fans just to spread a little sunshine on a miserable year, We will still win another Super Bowl before the #Jets. #NYG #NYGiants

— Take The Cannolis (@Mikeny58) November 13, 2017

 

 The Giants have a relatively recent history of winning, and their fans won’t let Jets fans forget it. Winning a Super Bowl is hard (I, an Eagles fan, know this), so they have every right to flaunt it in the Jets’ face. But the sibling rivalry is real. While Giants fans are tweeting about how they suck but at least they’re not the Jets, Jets Twitter is welcoming Giants fans to being terrible. Neither community can get the other off their mind. They’re stuck with each other, they’re both terrible and neither has any real path to being good.

So why the Jets and not the Giants? Every other Jets Twitter tweet is about the Giants. Just move on already:

Remember when they said the Jets were going 0-16 and the Giants were going to the SuperBowl... pic.twitter.com/2VjvqNpbNm

— Carp (@robcarpenter81) November 5, 2017

So the #Jets are a young exciting team and the “Super Bowl caliber “ Giants are a dumpster fire. Just like everyone predicted.

— Let's Talk Jets! (@TalkJetsRadio) November 6, 2017

Remember when #NFL experts said the @Giants were going to Super Bowl & the @nyjets would be a joke? #Giants #NYG #Jets pic.twitter.com/i2kJ5e0JT8

— nymjr7 (@nymjr7) November 5, 2017

 

The Five Stages of Grief

Denial

https://twitter.com/JCaporoso/status/930097010199416832

Anger

This is why the #Jets should've just full-out tanked. They're not good enough to actually contend. They sucked us in.

— Rich MacLeod (@richmacleod) November 12, 2017

Bargaining

An oldie but a goodie:

If I had a say, I'd give Tebow a chance to QB the first team. Why not? Sanchez is not progressing, so give Tebow a chance #jets #giants

— Thomas Melville (@melvillemedia) August 19, 2012

Depression

Best player on the field is the punter today. #Jets

— Drew (@DrewfromJersey) November 12, 2017

Acceptance

Well.. the rebuild continues .. lessons learned. Bye week. Play Petty after it #Jets

— Let's Talk Jets! (@TalkJetsRadio) November 12, 2017

#Jets fam the Giants are about to kickoff, watch them & we'll feel better about ourselves.

— JetsFanIsland✈⬆✈⬆ (@JetsFanIsland) November 12, 2017

 

4. Bulls Twitter: Tanks and Fists

Chicago Bulls fans totally expected to be bad and are (mostly) totally fine with being bad. Did they like the return on the Jimmy Butler trade? Some did, some didn’t (it was trash). But they’re smart, and they accept the position they’re in. If you want to tank, you have to full-on tank. They get it.

That’s all fine, but Bulls Twitter didn’t enter this season expecting Bobby Portis to punch Nikola Mirotic so hard he legitimately broke his face. Portis hospitalized Mirotic, which led to a brief suspension for Portis and caused Mirotic to ask for a trade, which has now somehow led everyone to side with Portis. Plus, as a fun bonus for people who aren’t Bulls fans, they have a hashtag (#GarPax) just to be miserable about their front office. Every team should have one of those. Chicago is doing it right. Except for all the punching.

The Five Stages of Grief

Denial

https://twitter.com/StephNoh/status/922959202745749505

Anger

Any one of dozens of tweets that say, “Bulls so trash.” Here’s one:

Savvy move by Reinsdorf to recoup the lost revenue from these trash Bulls by hosting the 2020 all star game.

— Nillz (@TheBullsShow) November 9, 2017

Bargaining

Funny reading Bulls twitter talk about what needs improvement, addressing, etc.

Um...nothing? Team is supposed to suck.

— Joe Tidei (@JoeyRedZone) October 29, 2017

Depression

Watching Jimmy Butler make amazing plays for the T-Wolves now: pic.twitter.com/RBZVbDWUBC

— 2022 Heisman Winner (@vj_v_) October 1, 2017

Acceptance

Yeah but are they establishing Bulls culture

— BlogABull dot com (@BullsBlogger) October 5, 2017

3. Kings Twitter: Proud and Enthused

Sacramento Kings fans have been through a lot. Just four years ago, it seemed that the then for-sale Kings might be bought and relocated to Seattle (Sonics Twitter would surely earn a spot on this list). Instead, now-owner Vivek Ranadive swooped in to save the team’s Sacramento home. But during Ranadive’s tenure, things have been less than smooth.

George Karl coached the team and then published a book where he blamed Kenyon Martin and Carmelo Anthony’s failures (when Karl was coaching the Nuggets) on growing up without father figures. It was about as poorly received as you’d expect. Ranadive famously was very high on Nik Stauskas, which became public knowledge in a widely mocked draft room video. Then he and general manager Vlade Divac traded “Nik Rocks” Stauskas (and a valuable pick swap/future pick combo) not long after to get cap relief in order to sign free agents they didn’t end up signing. 

@ZachLowe_NBA @Simply_BS13 WTF?

— KingJimD (@jimteach30) July 2, 2015

https://twitter.com/Jarvis_S808/status/616459592545906688

 

Now, they have to watch DeMarcus Cousins continue to thrive in New Orleans. It’s been rough, but Kings fans are proud. They fought off threats for years from people trying to take their team and move it away. Vivek saved them. He’s got immunity for at least a couple more years.

The Five Stages of Grief

Denial

When Willie Cauley-Stein sees Kristaps Porzingis pic.twitter.com/eZSKndL6C4

— Alan Poorson (B.A.) (@flibbradigibbet) November 13, 2017

 

Anger

How can any fan base be cursed enough to be shackled with the Maloofs and Vivek in one lifetime? #Kangz

— Chris Duerr (@ChrisDuerr) January 26, 2017

Bargaining

https://twitter.com/HeuristicLineup/status/881934027069939712

Depression

$7 Vivek drafts this guy next year #Kangz https://t.co/3PPd11Ojno

— iamtheREALMURPHDAWG (@RealMurphdog916) March 1, 2017

Acceptance

https://twitter.com/gwiss/status/926561000811311104

2. Mets Twitter: America’s Younger Brother

In talking about the Philadelphia 76ers, many national writers would talk about how “The Process” was terrible because it created a “losing culture.” I’m not here to debate the merits of that within a locker room, but years of fielding a terrible on-field/court product can create a losing culture within your fanbase. For example: Mets Twitter.

The Mets are only two years removed from a World Series appearance, but Mets Twitter very quickly reverted to its base instincts, honed from supporting a team that has been more mediocre than bad but is forced to play second fiddle in its own city to the Yankees. It’s understandable. The Yankees get Jay-Z name drops and Denzel Washington wearing their hat. The Mets once had Garth Brooks on their spring training roster. They paid Tim Tebow. Every non-Yankees fan may hate the Yankees, but we all know they’re Marcia and the Mets are Jan. It’s a fact of life, and let’s be honest, a nation of younger siblings (your family’s “Mets fans”) was psyched when Marcia took that football to the face.

Here’s some optimism from extremely early in the 2017 season:

SEASON OVER

— LindorGOAT (@LindorGOAT) May 1, 2017

And an August loss:

https://twitter.com/Metsisles123/status/899361764940361728

General recent malaise:

Sigh pic.twitter.com/Oz55X1tdER

— The Mets Newsletter (@metsnewsletter) October 26, 2017

As a Mets fan, i beg to differ about god

— 🍕🌮🦇⚾ Alex |pizza/tacos/bats| ⚾🦇🌮🍕 (@batsdingerbonds) August 25, 2017

In the field of self-deprecation, Mets Twitter is the GOAT.

The Five Stages of Grief

Denial

mets:
*noah on 60 day DL*
*drama with the dildo prank*
*matt harvey suspended for 3 days*
*asdrubal might be injured*

me: pic.twitter.com/oX6iVFhHD2

— melissa (@sincerelymtc) May 7, 2017

Anger

Please tell me what Mets fans have done to deserve this new fresh hell every single day. pic.twitter.com/7u0nWzsHPc

— Good Fundies Brian (@GoodFundies) November 2, 2017

Bargaining

Life as a Mets fan is being angry that the Mets won't sign Otani while also remaining convinced that if they did he would be a bust.

— Jeverett15 (@jeverett15) September 13, 2017

Depression

I enjoy getting let down on a consistent basis pic.twitter.com/gEfQXjpjCG

— Shannon (@Miss_Met) August 2, 2017

Acceptance

https://twitter.com/sschreiber13/status/894579119702331393

1. Browns Twitter: (Un?)Defeated

Oh, Cleveland. There was a near-100 percent chance this spot would belong to the Browns. Before the Cavaliers brought a well-deserved title to “Believeland,” the future self-esteem and success of your average Clevelander could have been easily described with the city’s turn-of-the-20th-century nickname: “Sixth City.” The name came from the Land’s population standing at the time, but why would you ever call yourself that? The New York Times once called Philadelphia the Sixth Borough, and everyone here is still furious about that. Never admit you’re not top-five, and certainly don’t embrace it.

But because of all this, it’s impossible to dislike Cleveland Browns fans. Go ahead, try. That’s not dislike you’re feeling—it’s a weird mix of schadenfreude, pity and endearment. But on Browns Twitter, it’s less fun.

On October 31, @BrownsYouthFB, the “Youth & High School Football account for the Cleveland Browns,” tweeted about a contest involving high school football. The account, which typically tweets about football played in the Cleveland area by literal children, received this response:

https://twitter.com/PapaWushu/status/925386059462127616

The Browns just set the NFL record for consecutive Sunday losses (26). The team tried to send two draft picks to Cincinnati for backup quarterback AJ McCarron, but the trade fell through due to one or both teams’ front office incompetence. This was actually a rational response:

Let’s just end the franchise

— Charged Up Chopz (@Pchopz_) October 31, 2017

Even silver linings (a probable No. 1 overall pick next year) can’t force a positive response:

I think if another team cheats there punishment should be letting us draft for them

— Fake Todd Haley (@browns__oc__) November 13, 2017

As you can guess, game days are fun:

.@Browns - hey social team. This isn't in your job description, but make sure the front office knows the coach called a QB sneak from the 3yd line with no time outs and 12 seconds left. Thx.

— Jeff D. Lowe (@JeffDLowe) November 12, 2017

Cody Kessler entering the game like ... #Browns pic.twitter.com/J8eKKsOYQZ

— Steven R. Walker (@Steve_R_Walker) November 12, 2017

Kenny Britt scored a TD. Browns up two scores. The end of times are here. Make peace with your God.

— Dawgs By Nature (@DawgsByNature) November 12, 2017

 

But there’s comfort in this. When the team you love is very bad now, has been very bad in the past and will continue to be very bad in the future, you can detach yourself from it. There’s a feeling of near-Zen from watching a terrible team you know is terrible (take it from a lifelong Philly fan). Enjoy it, and hope it doesn’t last forever.

The Five Stages of Twitter Grief

Denial

Browns defense...actually good?

— Anthony Briggs (@ADbriggs66) October 29, 2017

Anger

Being angry at the Browns ineptitude on a Sunday morning will be a nice change of pace from Sunday afternoon.

— passionate about lawns (@marion_ohio) October 29, 2017

Bargaining

Dear God I'm sorry for celebrating the Cavs 2016 championship too hard please forgive me and stop punishing the Browns for my mistake 🙏🏼

— Kyle David Koski (@KKoski03) November 2, 2017

Depression

https://twitter.com/eurbanik/status/929823962581913600

Acceptance

I have accepted the fact that the Browns will forever be trash

— Owen (@owen_martin7) November 12, 2017