Latest news with #JackBauer
CBS News
12-05-2025
- Sport
- CBS News
Lincoln-Way East baseball star Jack Bauer is something to behold on the mound
The Lincoln-Way East High School baseball team in southwest suburban Frankfort, Illinois, is having a very good season led by a hard-throwing lefty. His name is Jack Bauer. No, he is not a TV action hero, and he is a bit young to be played by Kiefer Sutherland. But this Jack Bauer can throw a baseball amazingly fast, and when he takes the mound, it's something to behold. "It's just amazing. One of a kind. One of our coaches said, 'The ball kind of sizzles out of his hand,'" said Lincoln-Way East baseball coach John McCarthy. "It's amazing to watch, right? Like that type of talent." Bauer, the senior leader of a talented Lincoln-Way Griffins pitching staff, had a viral moment earlier this season at a tournament in Georgia — and for good reason. He hit 102 miles per hour on the radar gun. "You know, it doesn't feel that fast when you're on the mound. You don't get to see it like from the side like some of these other guys do, or from the plate view," said Bauer. "I'd love to hit against myself and just have no chance." Bauer was already garnering attention before breaking triple digits. He committed to Virginia as only a sophomore. But he has taken his game to another level this season — adding better control to go with his increased velocity. "You know, 3-2 counts, 1-1 counts, counts that we've got to win — he's done a good job throwing strikes, and you know, forcing them to hit his, you know, really good stuff," said McCarthy. "I've increased my workload in the weight room a ton — especially within my legs and within my core," said Bauer. "Putting on the extra weight really got my body under myself, and my legs especially. The motion is a lot easier to repeat now." And even though he is a little young for the show, Bauer leads into the fact that he shares his name with a pretty iconic television character. In fact, he wears the number 24 because of that other Jack Bauer. 'I used wear 8 just because of my birthday. I was like, you know what? I'll play into a little bit, because like, everyone always asks me, you know, like, '24, like after the show?' I said, 'I men, yeah,'" he said, "and my parents got some jokes in them for that." Bauer, who was not born yet when "24" went on the air, said he has not yet watched it. But while Jack Bauer the baseball player may not be saving the world, he is helping lead Lincoln Way East to a great season — as the Griffins chase a conference title and maybe even more in the playoffs. "You know, he's just been great as a leader. That's what I've been telling a lot of Major League scouts. Obviously, the stuff on the field is great and it speaks for itself," McCarthy said. "But for me, I think the biggest thing is what he's doing for the program and for the younger guys, and really setting the right tone, and for the future of this program." Bauer is excited for his future, and sounds ready to meet his lofty goals of pitching at the highest level. "I just want to pitch on the biggest stage. I want all the pressure on me," Bauer said. "I feel like I can compete on that level, and so that's really what I'm working towards. With a fastball that's already MLB-ready, that sure seems like a reachable goal. Young Jack Bauer is on a mission. He has been climbing up MLB Draft boards with listing him as the No. 32 overall prospect in their latest rankings released in late April.
New York Times
20-03-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
How to fill out NCAA tournament brackets fast, and smart, to win March Madness pools
Sometime Thursday morning, wedged in your inbox between that really great sports newsletter and an HR email on the latest round of compliance training, there will materialize a critical missive from your NCAA Tournament office pool maestro. 'Reminder,' it will chide the tardy. 'Brackets lock when the tournament tips off at noon ET.' Advertisement That's when the cold sweat begins, and adrenaline surges through your body: You forgot to fill out your bracket. By the time Gael from Marketing approaches your desk for your usual $7 craft coffee break, you're yelling at him like Jack Bauer making threats on '24': 'Caramel macchiatos, Gael??? There's no time!' You don't need caffeine. You need bracket advice. Fast. Fear not. We've got you covered. Here's how to fill out your bracket in five minutes flat and look smart in the process using The Athletic's trove of tourney tips. (Heck, if you want, just scroll to the bottom and crib our picks from the bracket. We won't tell.) Own your bracket pool with The Athletic Team scouting reports | Top upset picks | Best bracket advice For the single most important pick you'll make for any standard-scoring pools, focus on four teams that most resemble the nine most recent NCAA tournament champions: Auburn, Houston and moneyline co-favorites Florida and Duke. The Blue Devils are favored by The Athletic's Austin Mock's model, which simulates the outcome of possible tournament games 200,000 times. But don't dance with the Devils just yet. Don't go crazy though: No team lower than a No. 8 seed has ever won the championship. If you think picking a No. 9 seed or lower is smart, you probably also think it's fine to reheat fish in the office microwave. It's not. Don't be that person. Yeah, I'm looking at you, Sammy. A bracket of straight chalk/No. 1 picks has proven correct just once (2008). So which favorite is most likely to fall short this year? Mock has all of their Final Four odds at 19 percent or better. A combo of these five is unique but sane. Even that dude from accounting who hates the unexpected — what's his name again? Pete? — would appreciate the spreadsheets of The Athletic's Bracket Breaker team of Jordan Brenner and Peter Keating. In the interest of, ahem, speed, welcome to Round 2: Likewise, it's onward for unbowed favorites: Bracket Breakers Regional Breakdowns West | South | Midwest | East Clock's ticking, and you've got an 11:30 Zoom with corporate about the latest TPS reports. We need some lightning-round action for teams we're not picking to go deep. To fill in the final slots, apply a combo platter of the key insights from above: ID the weaknesses for favorites, use projections to guide your general thinking and, when teams are reasonably comparable, side with the underdog. Slot the remaining favorites to their ultimate endpoints — Arizona (Sweet 16), Alabama (Elite Eight), Maryland (Sweet 16) — and voila. May your five-minute-or-less masterpiece bring you victory so you can treat Gael to one of those $7 frapps you skipped. In the meantime, exhale, mop up that residual flop sweat and soak in the following bracket, filled out with the more conservative picks outlined in the advice above. (Photo of Johni Broome and Walter Clayton Jr.: Todd Kirkland, James Gilbert / Getty Images; Illustration: Will Tullos / The Athletic)
