Latest news with #BillSimmonsPodcast
Yahoo
2 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Bears coaching has issues with Caleb Williams demeanor
The post Bears coaching has issues with Caleb Williams demeanor appeared first on ClutchPoints. Just a few days after Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams refuted rumors he didn't want to play for them, coaches are saying something different. Advertisement According to Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated, the new coaching staff are questioning Williams' commitment. Breer said as much during an appearance on the Bill Simmons Podcast on Friday. 'I kind of like asked around what they've been working on with Caleb and the stuff that they've been working on was really how you carry yourself as a franchise quarterback, and the command that you have to have to be a franchise quarterback,' he said. As a result, Breer said that coaches sought to get Williams back on track. 'And basically the point they were trying to make to him was 'Last year was a tough year, we understand. Your offensive coordinator gets fired, then your head coach gets fired. your offensive line wasn't very good, we get it.' It's like but if you're lying on the ground you know for an extended period of time you're not picking yourself up off the ground that's going to resonate with the rest of the team. That's the sort of thing that's going on, so it's like you need to be popping up off the ground after hits.' Advertisement As of late, Williams has been under scrutiny. A new book claimed Williams and his father tried to get him drafted by the Minnesota Vikings. Bears coach Ben Johnson is looking to get the most out of Williams and make him into the franchise quarterback. Caleb Williams needs to turn a corner. Williams is coming off a less-than-impressive rookie season with the Bears. He had to deal with a poor offensive line and being stacked routinely. Nevertheless, Williams finished the year with some impressive stats. He had 3,541 passing yards, 20 touchdowns, and 6 interceptions. His sub-par season may have deterred the confidence he showed at USC. The Bears are looking to boost that back up.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
The Pittsburgh Steelers decided to bench Justin Fields for Russell Wilson in 2024.
The Pittsburgh Steelers decided to bench Justin Fields for Russell Wilson in 2024. originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Pittsburgh Steelers acquired veteran quarterback Russell Wilson last offseason, quickly followed by them trading with the Chicago Bears to get Justin Fields. Advertisement The latter started out the year under center as a result of a calf injury to Wilson. But as soon as the veteran quarterback recovered, Fields was benched. And not everyone liked that idea. On a recent episode of the Bill Simmons Podcast, Albert Breer reported that Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin was one of the only people that thought benching Fields was the right move. "I think people there would tell you that the Russell Wilson thing undermines so many things in the last month of the season and that a lot of that building really wanted them to go back to Justin Fields," Breer said. "And it was something where Tomlin was kind of, again, all on his own on that one." Advertisement "People in the building'' is a tricky thing. Players? Assistant coaches? The "second-guess'' from then, by the way, can still be in play. Would the Steelers be better off in 2025 is Fields was still here? Fields led the Steelers to a 4-2 record in the six games that he started in, racking up 1,106 yards, five touchdowns, and just one interception. He was also able to show his elite scrambling ability with 289 yards and five touchdowns on the ground. As for Wilson, the team was 6-5 with him under center, but four of their losses were all in a row to end the season, leaving them with a 10-7 record on the season. While that is still solid, some think they could have competed for the lead in the AFC North if Fields had remained the starter. Advertisement Now, the young quarterback will be looking for a fresh start with the New York Jets, and the Steelers will be left wondering what would have happened if they had never benched him. Related: One Factor Could Slow Steelers' Kirk Cousins Pursuit Related: Steelers' Rookie QB Earns Comparisons to Super Bowl Champion This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on May 31, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
WNBA commissioner calls Caitlin Clark 'the most popular athlete in America,' but stresses value of other players
With the WNBA regular season nearly here, it's likely to be another big season for second-year Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark — and WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert is very aware of what Clark brings to the league. In an interview on the Bill Simmons Podcast released on Wednesday, Engelbert recognized Clark's elevated role in the W, calling her a "generational talent." But Engelbert also noted that there's a balance between highlighting Clark and promoting other talented players in the league. Advertisement "No league's ever got one player," Engelbert said. "In this case, Caitlin brought tens of millions of new viewers into the W and there's no denying that impact — not just in the WNBA, but the world of sports." Engelbert mentioned an LPGA pro-am that Clark had attended as an example, speaking on how her popularity in college fueled her prevalence now, and adding that she had spoken to NBA commissioner Adam Silver about Clark's prominence. Engelbert said that viewership was up "triple digits" across demographics, and that the presence of players like Clark heavily contributed to that growth. "Adam and I talk all the time about this, she's the most popular athlete in America," Engelbert said. With that said, Engelbert said that it was important to showcase the other talents in the WNBA, and not to put all of the league's eggs in one basket. "You do want to balance it, because obviously, we saw what happened with JuJu Watkins getting hurt," Engelbert said, referencing the USC star's ACL tear during March Madness. "You want to balance making sure that you're also promoting your other stars, like an A'ja WIlson, like a Breanna Stewart. Napheesa Collier killed it last year. "That's why this year is 'sustain and gain,'" Engelbert added. "Sustain the momentum we had last year and gain even more new viewers." Advertisement Engelbert noted that the WNBA has a unique pipeline of talented college players with pre-existing fanbases, something that has changed with the rise of social media and name, image and likeness deals. "We had great players for a couple decades, but now, I think with social media, with NIL, with them having brands when they come in and followership, and just the quality of the game, I can't say enough about that," Engelbert said when speaking on a rise in viewership across the league. Engelbert also mentioned Angel Reese, Paige Bueckers and Kiki Iriafen as other exciting new players in the league. Advertisement "Brands get to know them, fans get to know them, and they come out and they thrive in the W. As hard as and as competitive as the W is, they not only have a local and regional brand, like they have in college, but they actually have a national and now a global brand," she said. The WNBA regular season tips off on Friday with a matchup between the Minnesota Lynx and the Dallas Wings. Clark's Fever will play their first game of the 2025 season on Saturday.
Yahoo
17-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Ricochet Blasts Company Leaders on Social Media
The fact that WWE is no longer a monopoly is excellent for the health of the wrestling business. Performers now have the freedom to explore various avenues to increase their personal standing and make a living without relying solely on one company's opinion. This era of competition sparked by the arrival of the world's second-largest wrestling promotion, AEW, has led to overt tribalism between those on both sides. Today, an underhanded comment from a WWE higher-up led to a harsh comeback from a former multi-time champion. WWE BoardGetty Images While appearing on the Bill Simmons Podcast, WWE President Nick Khan made it clear he expects plenty of AEW stars to flock to his company soon. "In terms of the other wrestling promotional company, they have a lot of talented wrestlers, and we're happy about that," Khan said. "When, contractually, they are available to talk to and have conversations with, assume a number of them will come over." Ricochet responded to that quote on social media, writing, "Oh man, these guys f###### suck 🙄." These guys likely lumps Khan with other leaders of the promotion, such as Triple H. Ricochet decided not to renew his deal with WWE this past year and ultimately jumped ship to AEW, where he's been a featured upper mid-card heel for the bulk of his tenure. Despite his incredible offensive arsenal, he struggled to be a mainstay on WWE programming primarily due to his substandard work on the mic. Advertisement Khan taking a bizarre shot is petty and leads to genuinely annoying discourse like the retort from Ricochet. Most of the barbs have been lazy, to say the least, and only increase toxicity in a community desperate for mainstream acceptance, which has undoubtedly increased in the last few years. Related: How WWE Should Book: WrestleMania 41 Night 1 Related: WWE Superstar is 'Sick' of Hearing About The Rock vs. Roman Reigns Dream Match
USA Today
26-01-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Todd McShay names Oregon's Josh Conerly as best OT prospect in 2025 NFL Draft
The Oregon Ducks expect to have a long list of players selected in the 2025 NFL Draft a few months from now. This will continue the tradition of talented players leaving Eugene to succeed at the next level. A few players who could hear their names called early on are going into the draft this year. One of those players is left tackle Josh Conerly Jr., who chose to forego his final year of eligibility in Eugene and declare for the draft early. NFL draft expert Todd McShay thinks Conerly is not getting the credit he deserves so far in this pre-draft process and that, ultimately, No. 76 will be the best left tackle in this draft class. 'Everyone has talked about this Will Campbell guy from LSU who is a guard/tackle, or Kelvin Banks who is a really talented player from Texas. I think Josh Conerly might wind up being the best left tackle,' McShay said on the Bill Simmons Podcast. 'He is unbelievably athletic with the way that he moves. He's gotten better with his hands, I think there's a chance he's going to be a star from this class, and nobody I've heard or talked to is quite as high on him as I am. Keep an eye on Conerly.' The current expectation is that Conerly should go somewhere in the first round of the draft, but where is still unknown. McShay thinks he could go as early as No. 10 or No. 11. Other mock drafts have pegged Conerly as more of a middle-pick in the round, going in the late teens. We will see how things continue to develop throughout the pre-draft process over the next couple of months, but the early buzz for Conerly is certainly positive.
