Baltimore, Penn State and the pressure of being oh so close
Good morning! Hit the dougie for John Wall today.
There is a special, unfortunate place in sports history for the teams and players that almost did it. Those that, in any alternate timeline, would be believable, worthy champions. They hang no banners, but among ball-knowers, they earn solace and respect.
Two football teams, at two separate levels, occupy said space heading into this season. Which makes them arguably the most compelling outfits in college and the NFL, respectively. Let's start in the pros:
The Ravens almost feel cursed at this point. A perennial contender with a two-time MVP at quarterback, a coach who's won a ring and maybe the best front office in the league. Since Lamar Jackson took over as starting QB in 2019, they've averaged 11.3 wins per season and have one appearance in the AFC title game to show for it.
Apologies to Ravens fans for the early pressure. Let's move on to another tortured fan base, this one in the college ranks:
Is there any team more intriguing than Penn State this year? Much like the Ravens, the Nittany Lions have been among college football's best over the last three years — averaging exactly 11.3 wins a year in that span, too, which includes last year's Playoff run.
'Penn State looks so much like Michigan and Ohio State of the past two years, with a team full of NFL players who came back another year to try to win it all. It's not a flawless team — pass-catching weapons need to step up — but it's a good mix of talent and experience. Yes, James Franklin is 1-15 against top-five teams at Penn State, but he rarely had the better team in those matchups. This year, he does. And in a 12-team CFP, you can lose a game or two and still win. Penn State gets over the hump and wins it all.'
Advertisement
Convincing, really. The Franklin note is stirring, too, because the man — despite being a great recruiter and motivator — has a rep for fizzling in big games. Ralph Russo wondered if he's overrated or underappreciated. I think this year will go a long way toward deciding that.
Godspeed, fans of both teams. Football is near. We'll have more in the coming days. Let's move on:
Wall announces retirement
John Wall, 11-season NBA veteran and No. 1 pick in the 2010 draft, announced his retirement yesterday, which is another reminder that we're all one step closer to the grave. Wall, 34, was a transformative player, a terrifying mixture of speed and grace who was breathtaking to watch. His best years in Washington, where he spent his first nine seasons, came alongside Bradley Beal. See more here.
The Colts' failure
We knew this was a possibility the moment Indianapolis signed Daniel Jones, and yet now that it's here — Jones will be the Colts' starting quarterback this season — the weight of this decision truly sets in. Anthony Richardson, the uber-talented yet raw QB drafted at No. 4 just two years ago, has already become a backup. The move is understandable; the 23-year-old Richardson has been inconsistent at best over the last two years, and that's being generous. But to give up on a top-five pick after two seasons? An ugly process from draft to now.
More news
📫 Love The Pulse? Check out our other newsletters.
Remember MLB's home run race we chatted about a while back? It has slowed a tad, but remains one of the better storylines as the league races toward the playoffs. Let's do a brief check-in with our big three:
I want to reiterate that we have seen just nine 60-homer seasons in the history of this sport. Bump that number back to 56 and it's just 21 occurrences. And, to be clear, if each of those guys hits their projected number, they'd have career highs. Raleigh's already eclipsed his by 13.
Dingers rule. Almost done:
📺 LLBWS: Latin America vs. Asia-Pacific
1 p.m. ET on ESPN
Our final full stacked day of LLBWS games is here, as these contests once again stretch throughout the evening on ESPN.
📺 MLB: Mariners at Phillies
1 p.m. ET on MLB Network
Seattle needs every win it can get in that AL West race that's still tight (Mariners are 1 1/2 games back). If you're at home today, put it on.
Advertisement
📺 Soccer: Inter Miami vs. Tigres UANL
8 p.m. ET on FS1
The Leagues Cup continues here in the knockout stage. Loser goes home. Watching Lionel Messi is worth it.
Get tickets to games like these here.
Jacob Whitehead did some remarkable reporting on Suleiman Obeid, the 'Palestinian Pele,' and the questions surrounding his death. Make time for this.
I really enjoyed Alec Lewis' profile of Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, a 'normal-ass dude' who might be actually the NFL's most fascinating decision-maker.
Richard Deitsch has an extremely fun list of the 25 most impactful play-by-play voices of the 21st century. There's a fan poll in there for you to rank them, too. Hot take: I think Kevin Harlan deserves the crown.
Alexander Isak has set fire to Newcastle, George Caulkin writes, and it's unclear how the sides go from here. Woof.
Most-clicked in the newsletter yesterday: Stephen Nesbitt's projection of how MLB realignment could look. See the new maps.
Most-read on the website yesterday: Why the Federico Chiesa chant is making some Liverpool fans extremely uncomfortable.
Spot the pattern. Connect the terms
Find the hidden link between sports terms
Play today's puzzle
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
12 minutes ago
- Yahoo
NY Giants' Cam Skattebo might play in final preseason game: What to know
Former Arizona State star running back Cam Skattebo could suit up for the New York Giants' preseason finale, Thursday, Aug. 21, and is now more likely to play in Week 1. The do-everything standout for last season's Big 12 champion Sun Devils was cleared to return to practice for the Giants on Tuesday, Aug. 19, Giants coach Brian Daboll told reporters, and reports indicate things are looking good. Skattebo, whose nagging hamstring injury caused him to miss several practices and the Giants' first two preseason games, sits at No. 3 on the running back depth chart. Skattebo was "on the field (Tuesday, Aug. 19) and was involved in team drills." Cam Skattebo's status changes: New York Giants practice update When will Cam Skattebo play? Skattebo's return to practice ahead of the team's preseason finale Thursday, Aug. 21, against the New England Patriots indicates he has a chance to start the season on time, Sept. 7 at the Washington Commanders. He also could play in the preseason game that kicks off at 5 p.m. MST (8 p.m. Eastern). The Skattebo health trending is looking up, according to a report after Tuesday practice from the Giants. Art Stapleton, Giants beat writer for said Skattebo "did more today in team drills than either Andrew Thomas or Malik Nabers. That's not a bad thing for AT or Nabers, just a good thing worth noting for Skattebo and the Giants." Running backs Tyrone Tracy Jr. and Devin Singletary are listed ahead of Skattebo. 'Better than advertised': Cam Skattebo turns heads at Giants training camp Is Cam Skattebo playing against the Patriots? Skattebo, a fourth-round pick by the Giants, has missed much of training camp. Daboll indicated before the Aug. 19 practice that Skattebo's participation could be limited, but it was encouraging news nonetheless for a player expected to receive a healthy dose of touches this season. The Giants will consider resting Skattebo for their final preseason game, Thursday, Aug. 21, at home against the New England Patriots but Stapleton, during his podcast published Wednesday morning, Aug. 20, said, "It would not shock me to see him make a cameo" in the preseason finale. "I'm not talking a full load, but maybe a couple snaps," Stapleton said. "... He was running yesterday and it did not look like he was encumbered in any way." There had been concerns that Skattebo's hamstring issue could result in him being placed on injured reserve after final roster cutdowns on Aug. 26. Such a move would require Skattebo to miss the first four weeks of the regular season. Placing him on IR before the squad is trimmed to 53 would force him to miss the entire 2025 season. That concern has been dramatically altered, however, with the news that Skattebo returned to practice and reportedly performed well. Skattebo set the Arizona State single-season record last year with 1,711 yards. He also scored 21 touchdowns, became the first player in school history to amass 2,000 or more yards from scrimmage in a single season and finished fifth in balloting for the Heisman Trophy. More: Cam Skattebo is going to be loved by New York Giants fans, his ASU coach says Reach Jeremy Cluff at Follow him on X, formerly Twitter @Jeremy_Cluff. Support local journalism: Subscribe to today. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Ex-Arizona State star Cam Skattebo might play for New York Giants
Yahoo
12 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Coco Gauff parts ways with coach days before US Open campaign
Coco Gauff has reportedly split with coach Matthew Daly just days before the start of the US Open, making another shakeup to her support team on the eve of the year's final major. The move was first reported by Bounces. The world No 3 and two-time major champion will continue to work with her longtime coach Jean-Christophe Faurel but has added biomechanics specialist Gavin MacMillan to her corner. MacMillan was spotted with Gauff during a Wednesday practice session at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York. MacMillan previously worked with Aryna Sabalenka, helping the world No 1 overcome her serving yips in 2022 and refine her forehand. Gauff has struggled with her own serve this summer, notably hitting 42 double faults in three matches at the Canadian Open earlier this month. Daly, a grip specialist, confirmed his departure after a little more than a year in the role. He joined Gauff's team last autumn after she parted ways with Brad Gilbert, focusing on altering her grip and adjusting technical details. The changes initially paid off: Gauff captured the China Open title and closed 2024 by winning the WTA Finals. This season she added a second major at the French Open and reached the finals at both Madrid and Rome. But inconsistency has returned in recent months. Since her Paris triumph she has won just four singles matches, including a surprise first-round exit at Wimbledon. Daly, speaking to reporters, said only: 'Only have good things to say about Coco, enjoyed working with her.' Gauff, 21, has yet to publicly comment on the staff changes. She is due to play in a Thursday night exhibition at Arthur Ashe Stadium before the US Open singles begins on Sunday.
Yahoo
12 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Yankees defend drafting player who drew swastika on Jewish student's door as a college freshman
A month after the 2025 MLB Draft, the New York Yankees are defending their selection of a player who drew a swastika on the door of a Jewish student's dorm room during his freshman year at Nebraska. Core Jackson, a shortstop the Yankees took in the fifth round, was 17 years old when, as he recalls, got blackout drunk and drew the swastika in October 2021, as he told The Athletic. He claims he didn't remember the incident, didn't know who lived in the dorm room and "broke down in tears" when someone told him what he did the next day. Jackson, who later transferred to Utah, reportedly called the incident a "really stupid mistake" and said he "felt like the worst person in the world." He claims he attempted to apologize to the student but was told by campus police not to contact them. He was not arrested and reportedly faced no repercussions as far as his baseball career was concerned, only undergoing an online sensitivity training class and performing community service. Notably, all of this is only Jackson's recollection, as Nebraska reportedly declined to comment on the situation beyond saying it 'takes discrimination and similar allegations very seriously and has policies and procedures in place to rapidly respond to student concerns.' There was also reportedly an arrest for driving under the influence on Utah's campus last September, which was later reduced to a misdemeanor impaired driving and resulted in a sentence of community service, substance abuse training and fines. Jackson reportedly hasn't touched alcohol since that incident. The Yankees were reportedly aware of all this when they drafted Jackson, who told all 30 teams about the incident at the prompting of his agent. Yankees amateur scouting director Damon Oppenheimer reportedly said the team did more "due diligence" on Jackson than any other player in his 23 years on the job and cleared the selection with controlling owner Hal Steinbrenner. Team president Randy Levine, who is Jewish, also supported the decision, as did multiple high-ranking Jewish members of the club. The team, however, reportedly did not speak to anyone with Nebraska. From The Athletic: The Yankees were 'looking to find the good in this,' Oppenheimer said. 'He's shown his accountability here,' Oppenheimer said. 'I think his actions have shown his remorse. He's acknowledged it. I think he's taken the right steps to continue to learn, to understand what he's done.' Jackson reportedly didn't tell his agent Blake Corosky about the incident as he entered the draft process in 2024. Corosky reportedly only learned of it after Jackson told a Boston Red Sox scout in his first interview, which led to Corosky considering dropping him. Corosky reportedly consulted with Elliot Steinmetz, the head men's basketball coach at Yeshiva University and the father of one of his clients, on what to do. That led to Steinmetz calling Jackson, who apparently didn't understand the history of the swastika, via The Athletic: 'Right away,' he said, 'you could tell (Jackson) was the nicest, sweetest kid in the world, (but) dumb as rocks when it came to these kinds of issues.' According to Steinmetz, Jackson hadn't seemed to fully grasp the dark history behind the swastika — the symbol that represented the German Nazi Party in the 20th century and is still being used by neo-Nazis worldwide. Jackson told Steinmetz that his education on the symbol was limited. Jackson grew up in a Christian household in Wyoming, Ontario, a rural town about 30 minutes from the Michigan border, and told The Athletic that he had hardly encountered Jewish people or learned about Jewish history in school. In addition to telling every MLB team what he did, Corosky reportedly pushed for Jackson to undergo a five-week course with Ann Squicciarini, a Yeshiva graduate student. Squicciarini said Jackson was "attentive and engaged" during their hour-long weekly meetings. Jackson ended up going unselected in the 2024 MLB Draft, then was picked 164th overall in this year's draft. He received a bonus of $147,500, well below the pick's $411,1000 slot value. He was a career .363/.455/.577 hitter at Utah and was named first-team all-conference in both of his years at the school. Oppenheimer believes the swastika incident affected his draft status: 'I think that his tool set, his athleticism, his performance was definitely something that would have gone a lot higher in the draft,' the scouting director added. He is currently ranked as the Yankees' No. 18 prospect by MLB Pipeline and entered Wednesday hitting .188/.316/.344 for High-A Hudson Valley. If he reaches the majors with the Yankees, he will be playing for the team representing the city with the largest Jewish population in the world outside of Israel.
