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Good morning! You have also entered the transfer portal.
While you were sleeping: Jake Browning what do you do now?
Last night was fun. Quickly:
- In the NFL6-6 Cincinnati beat 8-4 Jaguar in overtime, 34-31, in what could have been one of the most unexpected results of the year. Second-time starter Jake Browning, starting for the injured Joe Burrow, went 32 of 37 for 354 yards and a touchdown. Trevor Lawrence injured his ankle, adding to a brutal year of injuries for NFL QBs. Plus, Cincinnati may have survived worst pass in the NFL this writer has never seen. What a game.
- In the NBAIndiana and New Orleans advanced to the semifinals of the in-season tournament. Again, it was amazing basketball, and in December, no less. Against Boston, Tyrese Haliburton had his first career triple-double (and kicked off an MVP bid), while the Pelicans survived De’Aaron Fox’s 30 points and shut down the beam in Sacramento.
Also breaking news overnight: Ken Rosenthal reports Shohei Ohtani met with Blue Jays officials at the team’s facilities in Florida. It’s a sign that Toronto is a serious contender for the megastar’s services.
Portal Madness: Everyone is in the transfer portal
More than 1,000 College football players entered the transfer portal yesterday, breaking last year’s single-day record of 775.. That equates to 40 recruiting classes and, if we zoom out, about 7% of all D1 football players.
It’s honestly impossible to follow, but I’ll try. Or our resident gate keeper, Max Olson, will. Some highlights of a crazy day:
- The market is flooded with good quarterbacks. Washington State’s Cameron Ward, Ohio State’s Kyle McCord and Oklahoma’s Dillon Gabriel are yesterday’s top names, adding to Duke’s Riley Leonard, State’s DJ Uiagalelei Oregon and Will Howard of Kansas State. Most of these guys will also get seven figures in NIL. Follow our QB tracker – including coach evaluation – here.
- There are many other big names as well. I thought it was a good list of notable names, with a smart focus on lesser-known players who could make an impact at big schools. And yes, gate-averse Clemson offered a player on this list. People change.
Keep up to date with the latest news on our live blog, which is expected to receive dozens more updates today. Soon, portal season could rival NFL free agency.
News to know
Eagles Shaq sign
It would be Shaquille Leonardthe former All-Pro linebacker released by the Colts two weeks ago. He opted for Philadelphia instead Dallas. Leonard comes at the right time, as the Eagles, who still hold the NFL’s best record at 10-2, have several linebackers missing due to injury. Read more about how Leonard will fit in here.
Does anyone want to start for the Jets?
Jets coach Robert Saleh wants to make another change quarterbacks, hoping to reinstate Zach Wilson under center two weeks after benching him. Hiccups: Wilson doesn’t even know if he wants to play because of injury risk, according to Athleticism report. It’s a real disastermuch like the Jets season so far.
Brooks vs. LeBron, Again
HoustonDillon Brooks and LeBron James can’t leave each other. One night after Rockets coach Ime Udoka joined Brooks’ crusade against James — which ended in a double technical and Udoka ejected — Brooks criticized the referees involved, calling the entire sequence “a whole bunch of nonsense.” I think I like this rivalry?
No more news
Pulse Polls: Who is your Heisman?
We have finalists for the Heisman Trophy, as announced yesterdaywith a little surprise:
- LSU QB Jayden Daniels
- Bo Nix, Oregon QB
- Washington Quarterback Michael Penix Jr.
- Ohio State defensive end Marvin Harrison Jr.
The only slight eye-catcher is Harrison, who had a great season (1,211 yards and 14 touchdowns) but didn’t generate as much buzz over the course of the year. For most of the season, he ranked a distant fifth or sixth in winning chances. Yet another worthy inclusion on this list.
If you’ve read this newsletter in the last three years, you know how I feel on the subject. But I want to know which one you would have choose, because, on a narrative level, I think it’s an interesting debate. Before we get to the ballot, here is my best argument for and against each candidate:
- Daniel: Had arguably the best statistical season for a quarterback in sports history. His team, however, went 9-3 (sigh).
- Nothing: He also put up absurd numbers and helped Oregon beat everyone not named Washington. But he lost two matches against another finalist.
- Penix Jr.: This other finalist, the only candidate whose team participates in the Playoffs. He also had a fantastic season, but the Huskies played some unfairly close games, and Penix’s numbers suffered a bit. However, he saved his best outings for the biggest matches (against Nix).
- Harrison Jr.: Probably the best wideout in college football (although LSU’s Malik Nabers would dispute that, but I digress) and propelled an unreliable OSU team to 11-1 and a few games shy of a playoff bid.
For me, it comes down to the success of the production versus the success of the team. If you’re in the former camp, Daniels is the guy. So were Lamar Jackson, Tim Tebow, Robert Griffin III and other Heisman winners on non-elite teams. If it’s the latter, Penix Jr. – and maybe even Nix – is your choice.
So tell me: who deserves the Heisman? Make your voice heard here.
Watch this match
NCAAM: No. 9 North Carolina vs. No. 5 UConn
9 p.m. ET on ESPN
Perhaps the best early season game we’ve had, and it holds special meaning for Tar Heels coach Hubert Davis. We’ll talk about that in a moment. Plus, we get this one at Madison Square Garden.
NBA: the Suns against the Lakers
10 p.m. ET on TNT
Another IST banger. Phoenix is 8-2 in their last 10 games, and the Lakers are 12-9 despite some questionable metrics (the most advanced stats put them slightly below the league average). It’s also LeBron James versus Kevin Durant and Devin Booker. The winner gets the Pelicans into the IST semifinals.
Pulse selection
Brendan Marks tells a beautiful and heartbreaking depiction of heartbreak on Hubert Davis, who lost her mother to oral cancer almost 40 years ago. Davis has moved on, but the pain never goes away. It’s worth taking your time today. And yes, tonight’s game is special because it’s part of the Jimmy V Classic, which raises hundreds of millions of dollars for cancer research.
James Harden opened up to Sam Amick about, well, everything. He seems pretty at peace with the Sixers fiasco and, judging by his comments, he’s still surprised at how his relationship with Daryl Morey ended.
Pick Six by Mike Sando is always a must-read, and this week’s edition includes a smart overview of Brock Purdy MVP case. He rejects the YAC allegations.
I would have liked to have a timelapse of my face while reading this: Sean Gentille wrote a wonderful piece that fits inside That of Patrick Kane revolutionary surgery (and recovery), a rare procedure that involves discordant bone activity and has Kane, 35, feeling better than ever.
Jordan Bianchi has a nice interview with NASCAR president Steve Phelps, who looks like a stressed man. He explains how he “got a year older” in the Chicago Street Race and why NASCAR’s future is still bright amid a crowded market.
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