Author: Bryan Zarpentine

Manchester United: Jose Mourinho Charged With Improper Conduct After Sideline Temper Tantrum

Posted on by Bryan Zarpentine

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has been charged with improper conduct by the English Football Association. The charge stems from an incident involving Mourinho during Sunday’s 1-1 draw between the Red Devils and West Ham United. This is the third time Mourinho has been charged with improper conduct by the FA in the last six weeks, as controversy continues to surround the enigmatic manager, all while Manchester United’s season continues to spiral out of control.

SkySports reported on Monday that Mourinho has once again been singled out by the FA for his sideline behavior . The English FA released a statement on Monday confirming the charges against Mourinho.

“Jose Mourinho has been charged following Manchester United’s game against West Ham United on Sunday, 27 November 2016,” read the FA’s statement. “It is alleged his behaviour in or around the 27th minute of the game amounts to improper conduct. He has until 6pm on 1 December 2016 to respond to the charge.”

Mourinho, who is known for his childish and immature antics on the sideline, could be seen kicking a water bottle in frustration during Manchester United’s match with West Ham. The Portuguese manager appeared to be upset with United’s Paul Pogba receiving a yellow card for taking a dive. A replay of the incident in question clearly shows Pogba dropping to the ground despite the West Ham defender failing to make contact with him on an attempted tackle.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ki76laltwFY

Mourinho was incensed at his star player receiving a booking, throwing a temper tantrum that included the kicking of a water bottle. To his credit, Mourinho struck the water bottle with a great amount of force. Manchester United could have benefited on Sunday from more shots on target that had the same kind of force that Mourinho’s strike on the water bottle had.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0II4QjiZvM

In the midst of his sideline temper tantrum, Mourinho was met by match referee Jon Moss, who immediately stood in front of Mourinho and pointed to the stands, sending the Manchester United manager into the seats at Old Trafford for the remainder of the match.

Mourinho and Moss actually have a bit of history with one another. Moss also told Mourinho to vacate the bench area last year while the Portuguese manager was still in charge of Chelsea. Ironically, that match was also against West Ham United. It also resulted in a one-match ban for Mourinho near the end of his second stint at Chelsea.

Jose Mourinho reacts during the Premier League match between Manchester United and West Ham United. [Image by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images]

Jose Mourinho’s charge of improper conduct this time around could result in a three-match ban , according to ESPNFC. Mourinho’s extensive history of misconduct on the sidelines could reportedly factor into the FA’s punishment. The United manager has already missed one match this season as punishment for using abusive language towards a match official.

In addition to that one-match suspicion, Mourinho has also been fined for making disparaging comments about match officials to the media. When the English FA hit Mourinho with that fine, the United manager was warned that similar conduct could result in a harsher punishment the next time he had an incident with a referee. That next time appears to have happened on Sunday when Mourinho’s foot struck that water bottle.

Jose Mourinho speaks during a Manchester United press conference. [Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images]

Mourinho is likely to be back on the sidelines Wednesday when Manchester United plays West Ham United in a cup match. He has until Thursday to reply to the charge from the F.A., and if he accepts the charge, his suspension could start this weekend when United visits Everton. United also has upcoming Premier League matches with Tottenham, Crystal Palace, and West Bromwich Albion that Mourinho could potentially miss.

Of course, missing its manager is the least of Manchester United’s problems these days. The Red Devils are in the midst of their worst start during the Premier League era, accumulating just 20 points through the season’s first 13 matches. They are 11 points behind first place Chelsea, who is excelling this season after firing Mourinho last December.

Jose Mourinho’s charge of improper conduct may actually be a blessing for Manchester United, who has just one win in its last seven Premier League matches. That one win came against Swansea City in a match that Jose Mourinho watched from the stands due to his improper conduct on the sidelines.

[Featured Image by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images]

Donald Trump’s Cabinet: Ben Carson Might Accept A Position After All

Posted on by Bryan Zarpentine

Ben Carson might be on the verge of flip-flopping his stance with regard to being a part of Donald Trump’s administration. Just over a week ago, it was reported that Carson had decided not to consider a job in Trump’s cabinet . However, in a small period of time, Carson appears to have changed his stance. CNBC , among other outlets, is reporting that Carson might end up accepting a position in Trump’s cabinet after all, perhaps as the secretary of Housing and Urban Development.

Carson, a retired neurosurgeon and one-time Presidential candidate, previously said he would not have a role in Trump’s administration, citing a lack of experience in government work. Of course, this was a rather odd reason for someone who did run for President in hopes of holding the highest office in the land.

“Dr. Carson was never offered a specific position, but everything was open to him,” said Armstrong Williams, Carson’s top aide. “Dr. Carson feels he has no government experience; he’s never run a federal agency. The last thing he would want to do was take a position that could cripple the presidency.”

Former Republican presidential candidate Ben Carson delivers a speech at the Republican National Convention. [Image by Alex Wong/Getty Images]

However, the former neurosurgeon appears to have changed his mind. Wednesday afternoon, Carson published a Facebook post that hints that he will indeed be part of Trump’s cabinet.

“Winning the presidential election was only the first step for those who love traditional America and do not wish to fundamentally change it. Now the hard work begins of restoring the values that made us great. We must bring back the compassion and the unity that empowers us and banish the divisiveness that weakens us. After serious discussions with the Trump transition team, I feel that I can make a significant contribution particularly to making our inner cities great for everyone. We have much work to do in strengthening every aspect of our nation and ensuring that both our physical infrastructure and our spiritual infrastructure is solid. An announcement is forthcoming about my role in helping to make America great again.”

Carson’s hint that he is on the verge of joining Donald Trump’s administration comes one day after the President-elect mentioned Carson as a possible candidate for Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. Carson mentioning the “inner cities” and “physical infrastructure” in his Facebook post also points to him being put in charge of Housing and Urban Development.

Carson ultimately accepting a job in Trump’s cabinet is not all that surprising once you get past his earlier stance on not being part of the new administration. Carson was quick to endorse Trump after dropping out of the race to be the Republican nominee. The former neurosurgeon also campaigned with Trump throughout the fall and appeared to be an obvious choice to be part of his administration as Carson is another Washington outsider who is not a career politician. Considering Trump’s stance that Washington is broken, it would have been a surprise not to see an ally like Carson take a position on Trump’s staff.

Dr. Ben Carson campaigning on behalf of Donald Trump. [Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images]

What exactly changed Carson’s mind with regard to accepting a position in Trump’s cabinet is unclear. However, it might be the specific job he’s likely to hold that caused Carson to reconsider. Williams told Business Insider on Tuesday that the position of S ecretary of Housing and Urban Development is “very attractive” for Carson.

“HUD is a place that has an impact on something that Dr. Carson cares tremendously about,” said Williams. “The inner city and urban America — Dr. Carson really has a passion for those issues where you could really make a difference and impact America’s mayors. And while he would like to remain in private life, the president has made an offer that he will really seriously consider, and that’s what he’s doing.”

Of course, it might be pertinent to ask what qualifications Carson has to be Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. While he spent part of his childhood living in a poverty-stricken part of Detroit, that was decades ago. Carson also spent most of his professional life as a doctor, which is not exactly relevant to the types of housing issues the country faces today.

Ben Carson may have a passion for the issues tackled by the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. However, his lack of professional experience in this area makes his change of heart to take a position in Donald Trump’s administration after earlier stating he had no interest in a cabinet position all the more puzzling.

[Featured image via Joe Raedle/Getty Images]

Minnesota Vikings vs. Detroit Lions: 5 Bold Predictions For NFL Thanksgiving Day Game

Posted on by Bryan Zarpentine

The Detroit Lions, as has become custom, are hosting a game on Thanksgiving Day. This year, the Lions will play host to the Minnesota Vikings, a fierce division rivalry, in one of the most important games on the NFL Week 12 schedule, an assertion with which FiveThirtyEight agrees. With six weeks left to play in the season, the Lions and Vikings are tied atop the NFC North division at 6-4. The Green Bay Packers are just 4-6, and so it’s likely that either the Lions or Vikings will win the division, and the winner of Thursday’s game will have the inside track towards accomplishing that.

The Vikings, as you may remember, were the best team in football over the first month of the season. Minnesota began the year 5-0, but it’s been all downhill from there. The Vikings have now lost four of their last five games, including a 22-16 loss to the Lions at home.

The Lions, meanwhile, started the season slow, only winning five of their last six games. Clearly, these two teams are moving in different directions, which would seem to favor the Lions on Thanksgiving. But with these two division rivals, recent history is meaningless. This is anybody’s game to win, and here are five bold predictions for Thursday’s game between the Vikings and Lions.

Matthew Stafford Sacked Four Times

Matthew Stafford of the Lions sacked by Eric Kendricks of the Vikings. [Image by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images]

The Vikings have struggled in recent weeks, but they still have one of the best defenses in the NFL. The Lions also have one of the weakest rushing attacks in the leagues, and that equates to Minnesota’s defensive line pinning its ears back and going after Stafford. Look for Danielle Hunter to have a big day as Stafford takes some serious hits against an aggressive Vikings defense.

Shaun Hill Steps In For Injured Sam Bradford

No one’s rooting for an injury, but Bradford has managed to stay healthy all year, which is unusual for him. Even if it’s just a minor injury, Bradford will leave Thursday’s game early, meaning a national television audience will get to watch Shaun Hill lead the Vikings. Hill, of course, spent four seasons with the Lions earlier in his career, so he’s well accustomed to playing in Detroit and will do enough to keep Minnesota in the game in place of Bradford.

Anquan Boldin Scores Two Touchdowns

It’s hard to believe, but Boldin leads the lions in receiving touchdowns this season with five. The 14-year veteran has become a nice complementary receiver for Detroit, as well as a player opposing teams forget about at times. Minnesota’s secondary is banged up heading into this game, as TwinCities reports that four defensive backs missed practice on Tuesday . This opens the door for Detroit’s third and fourth receivers to end up in favorable one-on-one matchups against Minnesota’s defense. The Lions will take advantage of this, as Stafford finds Boldin in the end zone on two separate occasions.

Cordarrelle Patterson Returns Kick For Touchdown

Cordarrelle Patterson of the Vikings stiff arms Tavon Wilson of the Lions after a reception. [Image by Stacy Revere/Getty Images]

Patterson is one of the most dangerous return men in the NFL. He’s already returned one kickoff for a touchdown this year, and Thanksgiving Day seems like a great time to return a second one. With the Vikings struggling so much in recent weeks, they need some kind of spark to help get them back on track, and a kick return from Patterson may just be the thing that turns things around. Look for Patterson to cancel out one of Boldin’s touchdowns by returning the ensuing kickoff for six points.

Vikings Win Defensive Battle 16-14

If you’re looking to see a lot of offense on Thanksgiving Day, you may have to wait until one of the later games. Touchdowns will be a little tough to come by in this game, as Minnesota’s strong defense will come to play, while the Vikings will struggle to do much offensively with a backup quarterback under center. Nevertheless, the Vikings are poised to win their second straight game after breaking their four-game losing streak last week against the Cardinals. In a defensive struggle, Minnesota beats Detroit 16-14.

[Featured Image by Stacy Revere/Getty Images]

Bruce Arena Hired As U.S. Soccer Head Coach, Replacing Jurgen Klinsmann

Posted on by Bryan Zarpentine

U.S. Soccer has hired Bruce Arena as the new head coach for the Men’s National Team. An official announcement was made by U.S. Soccer President Sunil Gulati on the official U.S. Soccer website on Tuesday afternoon. Arena replaces Jurgen Klinsmann, who was relieved of his duties on Monday following a pair of losses in the team’s most recent World Cup Qualifying games. This will be Arena’s second tour of duty as head coach of the USMNT. He previously coached the team during the 2002 and 2006 World Cups.

Bruce Arena’s hiring as the new National Team head coach will become official on December 1. In an official statement, Gulati gave his reasons for Arena being the right person to take charge of the National Team.

“When we considered the possible candidates to take over the Men’s National Team at this time, Bruce was at the top of the list. His experience at the international level, understanding of the requirements needed to lead a team through World Cup qualifying, and proven ability to build a successful team were all aspects we felt were vital for the next coach. We all know Bruce will be fully committed to preparing the players for the next eight qualifying games and earning a berth to an eighth-straight FIFA World Cup in Russia.”

Bruce Arena celebrates a 1-1 draw against Italy during the 2006 World Cup. [Image by Andreas Rentz/Bongarts/Getty Images]

Bruce Arena also released a brief statement on the U.S. Soccer website, acknowledging his new job after managing the Los Angeles Galaxy since 2008.

“Any time you get the opportunity to coach the National Team it’s an honor,” said Arena. “I’m looking forward to working with a strong group of players that understand the challenge in front of them after the first two games of the Hex. Working as a team, I’m confident that we’ll take the right steps forward to qualify for the 2018 World Cup in Russia.”

Klinsmann being fired by U.S. Soccer was a move that many expected. In the wake of last week’s 4-0 loss to Costa Rica, the Inquisitr reported that firing Klinsmann was not the answer , in part because there was no obvious candidate to take his place. However, Arena is one of the few coaches, at least among American candidates, who is qualified to take the reins of the National Team from Klinsmann.

Bruce Arena being hired by U.S. Soccer means the return of the most successful coach the USMNT has ever had. As ESPNFC reminds us, Arena held the same job from 1998 to 2006, leading the Americans to the quarterfinals of the 2002 World Cup, their best finish since the 1930 World Cup. He was also in charge of the National Team during the 2006 World Cup when the U.S. was knocked out during the group stage after two losses and a draw.

USMNT coach Bruce Arena during a training session at the 2002 World Cup. [Image by Brian Bahr/Getty Images]

Of course, the circumstances are different now than Bruce Arena’s first tour of duty as National Team coach. When he last held the job, Arena was given two full World Cup cycles, and despite a disappointing result at the 2006 World Cup, he moved U.S. Soccer several steps forward during his tenure. Arena will now be expected to provide a short-term answer for the National Team, not focus on long-term improvements.

Arena’s task as the new USMNT head coach is to fix the mess Klinsmann has left in time to qualify for the 2018 World Cup. The Americans are at the bottom of the Hex after two games, and they have eight qualifying games left to prove they deserve a spot in the World Cup. Arena needs to get the National Team back on track and get the results necessary over the next eight matches to qualify for the World Cup. Otherwise, U.S. Soccer will have moved backward in its development as a soccer nation.

The hiring of Bruce Arena is in no way a long-term solution for U.S. Soccer, and the fact that they needed to make a coaching change is itself a serious setback for American soccer. Nevertheless, Arena may be the ideal choice to take over between now and the 2018 World Cup. He understands the job, he understands the challenge of qualifying for the World Cup, and he is a known commodity among most of the players in the U.S. Soccer player pool. His past success as National Team head coach also gives him great credibility and should be enough to earn the respect of the current generation of players.

There will undoubtedly be many challenges for Arena to face in his new job. However, hiring Bruce Arena may be the change of direction and shot of life that U.S. Soccer needs to persevere through this difficult period and accomplish its goal of reaching the 2018 World Cup. With regards to the USMNT’s fragile state, Bruce Arena may have the safest hands.

[Featured Image by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images]

NFL Playoff Picture: Predicting The Winner Of The AFC West

Posted on by Bryan Zarpentine

The AFC West, to the surprise of many, has become the best division in the NFL in 2016. The division, as ESPN breaks down, includes three seven-win teams heading into Week 11, which is quite an accomplishment considering only one team in the league has more than seven wins. The AFC West is one of the few divisions in football in which there isn’t a clear-cut favorite, as the division is a three-way tossup at this point.

The Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, and Oakland Raiders are all potential Super Bowl contenders, but only one of them will end up winning the AFC West. One team will ultimately emerge as the division champion, while the other two will hope to solidify a wild-card spot at season’s end. Let’s take a closer look at each team to see which of the three will end up being champions of the AFC West in 2016.

Denver Broncos

The defending Super Bowl champions have won the AFC West each of the last five years, but they find themselves in a dogfight this year, putting that streak in jeopardy. The Broncos are content being 7-3 at this point in the season, but there’s no denying they’ve had some good fortune in a couple of those wins. Of course, the Broncos had plenty of close calls last year as well, and it didn’t stop them from winning the Super Bowl. Denver has been plagued by inconsistency on offense this year, much like last year. The difference is that the Broncos haven’t been as dominant on defense as they were a year ago.

Michael Crabtree of the Raiders loses his helmet against the Denver Broncos. [Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images]

However, ESPN reports that several of Denver’s injured defensive players may be able to return after their bye in Week 11, allowing their defense to return to full strength . A stronger defense will pay big dividends down the stretch, especially with the Broncos playing three of their final six games against AFC West opponents. Denver may be able to ride its defense to an AFC West title as they did last year, but issues with the offensive line and running game could hold them back in a more competitive division.

Kansas City Chiefs

By virtue of a tie-breaker with the Raiders and a five-game winning streak, the Chiefs are currently on top of the AFC West. Offensively, the Chiefs are nothing special, as they don’t throw the ball down field with quarterback Alex Smith and their wide receivers are average at best. However, a decent running game and a quarterback who plays it safe has been good enough to get them to the postseason in two of the last three years.

The difference in 2016 that has the Chiefs contending for the AFC West title is their defense. Kansas City’s defense allows less than 20 points per game, but to be fair, they haven’t played too many teams that are potent offensively, and so they’ll be tested later in the season. The Chiefs will have a challenging schedule down the stretch with road trips to Denver, Atlanta, and San Diego, so the Chiefs may have to win some difficult games away from home to win the AFC West.

The Oakland Raiders playing the Kansas City Chiefs. [Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images]

Oakland Raiders

The Raiders are easily the biggest surprise in the AFC West this year, and arguably the NFL. Quarterback Derek Carr has received many of the headlines when it comes to Oakland’s ascent in the AFC West this year, and deservedly so, but the Raiders also have one of the top running games in the NFL behind the trio of Latavius Murray, DeAndre Washington, and Jalen Richard. That kind of balance on offense makes them one of the most difficult teams in the NFL to face.

At the same time, the Raiders are in the bottom half of the NFL defensively, which has led to some close games. Oakland has two wins this year by a single point, and two more wins by less than a touchdown. While the Raiders should be commended for winning those close games, constantly playing tight games with a mediocre defense is like playing with fire. The Raiders also have to play all three of their AFC West rivals on the road during the final month of the season, a schedule that’s not conducive to winning a division title.

AFC West Prediction

The AFC West, all things considered, is still Denver’s to lose. As we saw last season, a healthy Broncos defense can carry Denver to a championship, whether it’s an AFC West division title or a Super Bowl. Oakland’s mediocrity on defense will be their downfall late in the season, and while the Chiefs are also strong on defense, Kansas City’s offensive playmakers pale in comparison to Denver’s, making the Broncos the most balanced of the three teams. When all is said and done, the Broncos will be AFC West champions in 2016.

[Featured Image via Ronald Martinez/Getty Images]

USMNT: Firing Jurgen Klinsmann Is Not The Answer

Posted on by Bryan Zarpentine

The U.S. Men’s National Team suffered perhaps its most devastating and embarrassing loss ever on Tuesday night, a 4-0 shellacking at the hands of CONCACAF rival Costa Rica. Naturally, many news outlets like SI , Fox Sports , and Yahoo , not to mention many in the fan base, are calling for head coach Jurgen Klinsmann to be fired . Admittedly, Jurgen Klinsmann being fired would be deserved at this point. Recent results have not been acceptable and the team is clearly not moving in the right direction. However, that doesn’t mean that firing Klinsmann is the answer right now.

Firing Klinsmann only makes sense if you have someone in mind to replace him. This is an aspect to firing Klinsmann that most fans forget. Most fans can only think of the team’s recent form and think about getting rid of the man in charge. But they forget to ask that all-important question, “Who else you got?”

Klinsmann could be justifiably be fired after Tuesday’s loss and last Friday’s disappointing home loss to arch-rival Mexico, but on paper he’s still the most qualified person for the job, at least among people who actually want the job. Even the top coaches in MLS, aside from former USMNT coach Bruce Arena, are not as qualified as Klinsmann, as they lack an international pedigree and would be in over their head if asked to fix Klinsmann’s mess.

The lone exception to this may be Guus Hiddink, who was most recently the caretaker manager at Chelsea last season and has managed half a dozen international squads over the course of his career. Other than Hiddink, most managers who would conceivably be interested in the USMNT job and qualified to handle a national team like the U.S. already have jobs.

Of course, would Hiddink want the job? Without assurance that Hiddink would take the job, firing Klinsmann is not the right decision, much like U.S. Soccer would not have fired Bob Bradley in 2011 if they didn’t already have Klinsmann lined up to take over.

USMNT Head Coach Jurgen Klinsmann during a training session. [Image by Mike Lawrie/Getty Images]

Firing Jurgen Klinsmann at this point would only be a reactionary move to poor results in the last two matches. Admittedly, there have been other disappointments and rough patches during Klinsmann’s tenure with the national team, but Jurgen has always persevered through those tough times and led the team to a notable achievement. Without the guarantee of hiring someone better or more qualified, firing Klinsmann would not be a rational decision.

Remember, the USMNT was in a similar position at this point in World Cup Qualifying during the last World Cup cycle. The USMNT opened the Hex with a loss to Honduras, a loss that was followed by reports of insurrection within the team. Sound familiar? Well, Klinsmann was able to guide the team through that rough period and get everyone on the same page, culminating in the famous 1-0 win over Costa Rica in the midst of a massive snow storm. Despite the rough start to the Hex four years ago, Klinsmann led the Americans to the top of the group, and he’s uniquely qualified to do the same this time around as well.

Firing Klinsmann right now would be nothing short of hitting the panic button, and there’s no need for that with eight games left in the Hex and four months for Klinsmann and his staff to make sense of the team’s recent struggles and find a solution. Mexico was quick to hit the panic button during Qualifying for the 2014 World Cup, making several managerial changes, and they were barely able to qualify. The USMNT does not want to follow that lead and be so quick to make a change based on a couple of poor results in difficult games.

USMNT Head coach Juergen Klinsmann prior to a friendly match. [Image by Christian Hofer/Getty Images]

It’s also important to note that aside from a road fixture with Mexico in June, the USMNT has already played its two most difficult matches of the Hex: home to Mexico and away at Costa Rica. The optics of Tuesday’s 4-0 loss are horrible, but the U.S. has never taken points in a Qualifying match against Costa Rica and it has never hindered them from qualifying for the World Cup. The road does get easier, and the USMNT is more than capable of winning each of its next three Qualifying matches, which could make everyone forget about this poor start to the Hex.

Klinsmann, of course, is not without fault, but firing Jurgen now would be too reactionary and not rational. His issue is that he’s over thinking and not sticking to what has worked for him in the past, as recently as this past summer when the Americans reached the semi-finals of Copa America Centenario. With four months to reflect before the next qualifying match, there should be more faith in Klinsmann’s ability to pull himself and the team out of the hole he has dug.

When Jurgen Klinsmann was hired in 2011, U.S. Soccer committed to him through the 2018 World Cup, and there’s no reason why a couple of bad results should change that, just like periods of frustrating results earlier in his tenure as USMNT coach didn’t result in him being fired. Fans are upset, and they should be, but firing Jurgen Klinsmann is not the answer. He is still the best coach for the USMNT right now. We simply must trust the process, and more importantly, trust him, even in the face of adversity.

[Featured Image by Simon Hofmann/Bongarts/Getty Images]

Philadelphia Eagles Vs. Seattle Seahawks: 5 Bold Predictions For NFL Week 11 Showdown

Posted on by Bryan Zarpentine

The Philadelphia Eagles and Seattle Seahawks will meet in a Battle of the Bird this weekend, as the two teams will play in one of the more intriguing match-ups on the NFL Week 11 schedule. Both teams are coming off impressive wins last week and will be hoping to continue their ascent this week.

The Eagles were squarely in the danger zone heading into Week 10 after losing four of their last five games. But a convincing win over the Atlanta Falcons has them back on the right track. However, Philadelphia’s birds are just 5-4 and find themselves at the bottom of a competitive division and in the middle of a crowded race for the NFC’s two wild card spots.

As for the Seahawks, after their take down of the New England Patriots last week, many are remembering how good of a coach Pete Carroll can be. Seattle is now being considered by many to be perhaps the only team in the NFC that can challenge the Dallas Cowboys this season. Of course, the Seahawks have had a few disappointing moments this season, and so they will need to keep building on the momentum they have and not take a step backwards against the Eagles this week.

Here are five bold predictions for this week’s game between the Eagles and Seahawks, a game of great importance for both sides.

Ryan Matthews Proves To Be One-Week Wonder

Ryan Mathews of the Eagles runs for a first down against the Falcons. [Image by Rich Schultz/Getty Images]

Matthews was huge during Philadelphia’s win over the Falcons last week, carrying the ball 19 times and rushing for over 100 yards for the first time this season. He also found the end zone twice, and has scored four touchdowns in his last three games. However, that will all be short-lived, as Matthews faces a stout Seattle defense this week. Expect Matthews to struggle early in the game, forcing the Eagles to go back to Darren Sproles as their primary ball carrier, relegating Matthews to a reserve role once again.

The Old Russell Wilson Shows Up

Wilson has had his ups and downs this season, but he was great against the Patriots, and CBS Sports is reporting that Seattle’s starting quarterback is almost back to full health . If Wilson is close to healthy, we’ll see the old Russell Wilson on Sunday, the guy that helped lead his team to a pair of Super Bowl appearances. With a little more mobility, he’ll be a handful for Philadelphia’s defense and make things difficult for the Eagles all game long.

Carson Wentz Has Rough Afternoon

Wentz has had a strong rookie year and played well last week, but he’s in for a rude awakening this week against Seattle’s defense, especially in Seattle. Sunday’s game will be the toughest road environment Wentz has ever played in between his college and pro career. He’s displayed poise and maturity beyond his years this season, but he’s not ready to play a road game in Seattle.

C.J. Prosise Continues To Be Go-To Playmaker

C.J. Prosise of the Seahawks rushes against the Miami Dolphins. [Image by Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images]

Seattle’s rookie running back was a revelation last week in his first NFL start, and one should expect the Seahawks to continue feeding him the ball. The Seattle Times reports that Carroll has been waiting all year to introduce Prosise to the league , and now that he has, the rookie could completely change Seattle’s rushing attack for the rest of the season. Prosise had 24 touches against the Patriots last week, as he also became a factor in the passing game. The rookie should get at least that many touches this week, as the Seahawks will give him the ball as many times as possible.

Seahawks Win Defensive Struggle

These are two of the best defensive teams in the NFL, and so it’s hard not to imagine this game being a low-scoring slugfest. Scoring opportunities will be few and far between, but with Wilson closer to full health, he’ll be able to use his legs to extend drives for the Seahawks, and that will help Seattle finish a couple more drives with points, helping the Seahawks beat the Eagles in a close game. Seattle wins 16-10.

[Featured Image by Evan Habeeb/Getty Images]

Donald Trump Presidency: Chris Christie’s Role In New Administration Up In The Air

Posted on by Bryan Zarpentine

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie was one of the first Republican leaders to offer their full support to now-President-elect Donald Trump after Christie failed in his own efforts to become the Republican nominee for president. Christie is currently in charge of Trump’s transition team, and according to the Washington Post , the New Jersey Governor is open to taking a spot in Trump’s cabinet . However, at this point, nothing is certain, and there is no guarantee that Christie will end up having a role in Trump’s administration once he takes office in January.

Politico recaps an interview Christie had with NBC’s Matt Lauer and Savannah Guthrie on Thursday in which he says that he and Trump have not discussed a potential role in the new administration.

“We have not talked about anything,” Christie said when the topic was raised. “The president-elect was absolutely adamant about not discussing the transition before he was elected.”

Donald Trump with Chris Christie at a campaign rally. President Elect Donald Trump, son Barron, wife Melania and children [Image by Sean Rayford/Getty Images]

Guthrie asked the governor if Trump waited to discuss a potential cabinet position with Christie because he didn’t want to jinx his chances in the election, but Christie responded by saying that Trump was just focused on winning the election before worrying about anything else.

Lauer attempted to ask Christie about specific positions within the administration he may be interested in taking, including the White House chief of staff and the U.S. attorney general. But Christie declined to give any kind of verbal response. Guthrie then described Christie’s silent response as a “pregnant pause.”

“The answer is I am not committed to doing anything in a new administration, or not,” Christie said when he finally broke his silence. “The bottom line is that I have a job to do to help get the administration ready. If there’s some role for me that I want to do and that the president-elect wants me to do, you know, we’ve known each other for 14 years, we’ll talk about it.”

[Image by Joe Raedle/Getty Images]

Based on his loyalty to Trump during much of the campaign, as well as his political background, most would assume Christie would be given a role in the administration, with attorney general and Homeland Security secretary being two possible positions.

Of course, Christie’s connection to the Bridgegate scandal could have an impact on him being given a meaningful position in the new administration. Christie did address the Bridgegate scandal on Thursday, specifically with regard to last week’s verdict that saw three people, all of whom are former political allies of Christie, convicted of wrongdoing.

“What happened last week with the verdict was they confirmed what I knew and did in January of 2014, which was back there I said, after 24 hours, it’s my view that three people are responsible for what happened there. Those three people, after three years of investigation and the trial — the same three people I fired in January of ’14 — were the three people held responsible by the U.S. Attorney’s Office and that jury.”

Of course, Christie only fired one of the three, former deputy chief of staff Bridget Anne Kelly. The two other people involved — Bill Baroni, the former deputy executive director of the Port Authority, and David Wildstein, a subordinate of Baroni — both resigned.

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie with Kellyanne Conway on election night. [Image by Mark Wilson/Getty Images]

Nevertheless, much of the testimony during the trial did not paint Christie in a positive light. There was also testimony that contradicted things said by Christie at the time of the incident. With that testimony coming out so close to the election, it could make it difficult for Christie to be given a high-level job in Trump’s administration. It also doesn’t help that one of the jurors referred to Christie after the trial as a “master puppeteer,” according to Bloomberg .

Clearly, the Bridgegate incident still hangs over Christie’s head and continues to have an impact on his political career, as it likely forced him out of the Republican presidential primary race before he would have liked. On the one hand, it’s hard to imagine someone who has displayed such loyalty to Trump not being rewarded with a position in the new administration. However, Christie being left out of Trump’s cabinet because of the fallout of Bridgegate appears to be a distinct possibility.

[Featured Image by John Moore/Getty Images]

Green Bay Packers Vs. Tennessee Titans: Five Bold Predictions For Critical NFL Week 10 Matchup

Posted on by Bryan Zarpentine

The Green Bay Packers visiting the Tennessee Titans is rather quietly one of the most intriguing games on the Week 10 NFL schedule. With losses in three of their last four games and three straight road games ahead of them, Green Bay’s season is at an obvious crossroads. This is particularly true after Aaron Rodgers called out his teammates following Sunday’s loss to the Colts, according to Yahoo Sports and other sources.

Something has been amiss with the Packers all season, and if they’re going to get things turned around the second half of the season and reach the playoffs, Sunday’s game in Nashville is a must-win game against a team the Packers should beat; at least on paper.

Meanwhile, the Titans have struggled to sustain any momentum this season despite showing promise at times. Tennessee is still in the mix for a playoff spot coming out of the AFC South, but only if the Titans can steal a win or two against teams they aren’t expected to beat. This week’s home game against the Packers is a perfect opportunity to get such a win.

With so much on the line for both teams, here are five bold predictions for Sunday’s game between the Packers and the Titans.

Aaron Rodgers Is Green Bay’s Leading Rusher

The Packers have had all kinds of problems running the ball since they lost Eddie Lacy to injury, and the issue doesn’t appear to be getting any better. Wide receivers Ty Montgomery and Randall Cobb, as well as fullback Aaron Ripkowski, have become the team’s best options for running the ball, and that’s not good news for the Packers. On Sunday, expect Rodgers to lead Green Bay in rushing after scrambling out of the pocket a few times as the Packers still can’t find an answer at running back.

Aaron Rodgers running the ball. [Image by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images]

Brian Orakpo Has Three Sacks

Orakpo got off to a fast start this season, collecting seven sacks during the first six games of the season. He’s been held in check since then, but look for him to come back to life this week against the Packers. Rodgers is mobile enough to get away from him most of the time, but look for Orakpo to catch the quarterback a few plays and finish the game with three sacks.

Randall Cobb Has Big Day

Cobb has had such an up and down season, making it difficult to project the kind of impact he’ll have from one game to the next. After Cobb had just two catches last week against the Colts, with one going for a touchdown, look for the Packers to make an effort to get him involved. The Titans are solid at cornerback, but if Cobb is at the top of his game, he’s going to be difficult to stop. If the Packers can get Cobb at least 10 targets, there’s a good chance he’ll near the 100-yards receiving threshold, while also scoring a touchdown or two.

Marcus Mariota Outperforms Aaron Rodgers

Marcus Mariota throwing the ball against the Indianapolis Colts. [Image by Joe Robbins/Getty Images]

There have been signs of real growth in Mariota’s performance this season, and while he’s had his ups and downs, he’s capable of looking like a star in any given week. Playing at home against Green Bay’s defense this week, look for Mariota to have a better game than Rodgers. That’s not to say Rodgers won’t play well, but there’s so much on his shoulders right now, and that could lead to him pressing and trying to do too much. Mariota also has more help around him, particularly with regard to a solid running game. Even with NBCSports reporting that backup running back Derrick Henry is not a lock to play Sunday against the Packers due to injury, DeMarco Murray will give Mariota the support on the ground he needs. It all adds up to Mariota outperforming Rodgers on Sunday.

Titans Pull Off Upset

With the Titans playing at home and Mariota playing better than Rodgers, Tennessee will pull off the upset over the Packers. This should be a high-scoring game, but Green Bay’s inability to run the ball will be the difference. The Titans will be able to control the ball and have more opportunities to put points on the board and win what will be an important game for both teams.

[Featured Image via Joe Robbins/Getty Images]

New York Giants Vs. Philadelphia Eagles: 5 Bold Predictions For NFL Week 9 Matchup

Posted on by Bryan Zarpentine

The New York Giants and Philadelphia Eagles have one of the fiercest rivalries in the NFL, and this week they will meet for the first time this season. The Week 9 matchup is made more important by the fact that the two teams have identical 4-3 records and are both trailing the Dallas Cowboys by two games at the top of the NFC East. Considering the way Dallas is playing, it could be tough for either team to catch the Cowboys at the top of the division, leaving both the Giants and Eagles chasing a wild card spot and making their head-to-head matchup this week a must-win game for both teams.

At the moment, the two teams appear to be moving in opposite directions. After a promising start, the Eagles have lost three of their last four games, albeit in close games. Meanwhile, the Giants have bounced back from a three-game losing streak and have won their last two games. New York is also coming off a bye week, giving them a little extra time to prepare for the Eagles. With all that in mind, here are five bold predictions for this week’s rivalry game between the Giants and Eagles.

Eli Manning Gets Sacked Five Times

Eli Manning sacked in a game against the Philadelphia Eagles. [Image by Rich Schultz /Getty Images]

Philadelphia’s defense is tied for third in the NFL with 22 sacks on the season, and the Eagles are definitely not shy about getting after the quarterback. When New York’s problematic offensive line gets factored into the equation, the result is Manning picking himself up off the ground time and time again on Sunday. The Giants are also the worst rushing team in the NFL, which will make it even easier for the likes of Brandon Graham and Connor Barwin to pin their ears back. Manning will be able to make some plays, but if no receivers are open, he’ll have no choice but to take a few sacks against the Eagles.

Darren Sproles Scores Two Touchdowns

Sproles is a versatile offensive threat, and while the Giants are solid defensively, the Eagles will move him around the field in order to put him in position to make plays. After a season-high 20 touches last week, the Philadelphia Inquirer believes Sproles is the team’s top running back , and he is becoming a bigger part of Philadelphia’s offense. He will reward that confidence by finding the end zone twice against the Giants.

Odell Beckham Jr. Can’t Be Stopped

There’s no denying that Beckham has had plenty of ups and downs this season, but he’ll have his way against Philadelphia’s cornerbacks this week. During the bye week, the Giants will have had time to think of new ways to get Beckham the ball, and all that extra time will pay off against the Eagles. Also, after Beckham played through pain in his last game against the Rams, ESPN reports he is close to full health heading into this week’s game against the Eagles. Expect Beckham to be targeted at least 10 times against the Eagles, and look for him to turn a few of those into big gains, as he’ll approach 200 yards receiving for the Giants.

Carson Wentz Commits Three Turnovers

Philadelphia Eagles’ quarterback Carson Wentz getting hit while throwing the ball. [Image by Rob Carr/Getty Images]

Wentz has had a great rookie season for the Eagles, but once again, the Giants having an extra week to prepare will work in their favor. The Giants have enough of a pass rush to force Wentz to fumble the ball a couple of times. New York will also mix up their coverages to confuse the rookie quarterback, leading to an interception or two. Wentz will have his moments, but for the most part, the Giants will get the better of him as he has one of the worst games of his young career.

Giants Win On Last Second Field Goal

The Giants and Eagles are bound to play a close game on Sunday. Both teams are in the top 10 in the NFL with regard to points allowed, so despite strong performances from playmakers like Sproles and Beckham, it’ll be difficult for either team to score more than 20 points. This has all the makings of a field goal game, and late in the 4th quarter, Beckham will make a play to set up new Giants kicker Robbie Gould for a game-winning field goal. New York will win 23-20.

[Featured Image by Al Bello/Getty Images]

Denver Broncos Preview: 5 Players To Watch In NFL Week 9 Showdown Against Oakland Raiders

Posted on by Bryan Zarpentine

The Denver Broncos will renew an old rivalry with the Oakland Raiders Sunday night, and for the first time in several years, the game will matter in the standings for both teams. The Raiders have been one of the biggest surprises in the NFL this season, going 6-2 during the first half of the season. They are in a tie atop the AFC West with the defending Super Bowl champion Broncos.

With the Kansas City Chiefs 5-2 on the season, the AFC West is suddenly one of the best divisions in football, which means Sunday’s game between the Broncos and Raiders will have a huge impact on which team has the inside track on a division title, and which team might have to settle for a wild card spot later in the season. Looking at Sunday’s showdown from Denver’s perspective, here are five Broncos players who will have a big impact on the outcome of the game against the Raiders.

Devontae Booker

C.J. Anderson is hurt, and Denver’s rushing attack is now completely centered around Booker, who is a rookie out of Utah. After splitting time with Anderson for much of the season, Booker is suddenly Denver’s primary rusher. The rookie has managed to find the end zone in each of the past two games, but he also fumbled the ball in both games, which is a concern for the Broncos. Booker also averaged a mere 2.8 yards per rush last week against the Chargers, so there are some definite questions about him heading into Sunday’s game against the Raiders.

Denver Broncos’ Running back Devontae Booker against the San Diego Chargers. [Image by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images]

It doesn’t help matters that the Denver Post reported that Booker is nursing some soreness after last week’s game against the Chargers. However, the Broncos are short on options at running back as long as Anderson is out, so they need Booker to step up and produce. The Broncos need a steady running game to help take the pressure off of quarterback Trevor Siemian.

Todd Davis

The Broncos have begun to give up chunk plays in the running game , asserts Jeff Legwold of ESPN , and it’s starting to become an issue for an otherwise dominant defense. This puts a lot of pressure on middle linebacker Todd Davis to be better and help prevent the big play. Davis is one of the team’s top tacklers, but the Raiders have one of the better rushing attacks in the NFL, so Davis needs to help prevent Oakland from creating big plays with their running game. If the Raiders are forced to throw the ball, Denver’s pass rush could make an impact, but only if Davis does more to stop the run.

Bradley Roby

Denver Broncos’ cornerback Bradley Roby forces a dropped pass. [Image by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images]

Aqib Talib missed last week’s game for the Broncos, and while Roby did a great job of filling in, the Denver secondary will face a much stiffer test this week against the receiving tandem of Amari Cooper and Michael Crabtree, who will be far more difficult to face if Talib is out again. Roby has been great during his time with the Broncos, but he’s always played a supporting role behind Talib and Chris Harris, so if he starts in place of Talib again this week, it’ll be the toughest test of his career.

Donald Stephenson

Denver’s offensive line has been problematic at times this season, and Stephenson has been one of the worst offenders, struggling with penalties and poor performance. The Raiders usually have Khalil Mack attacking the quarterback’s blindside, meaning he faces the left tackle, but considering Stephenson’s struggles this year, they may have Mack lineup on that side of the line in hopes of getting after Siemian and creating disturbances in Denver’s backfield. Stephenson will need to step up for the Broncos this week, or else Mack could have a big impact on the team and prevent the Broncos from moving the ball consistently against Oakland’s defense.

Emmanuelle Sanders

The Raiders have a lot of size and strength at cornerback with David Amerson and Sean Smith, but will those big corners be able to keep up with the speed and quickness of Sanders? The Broncos have struggled to get Sanders involved the last few weeks, but if they spot a matchup advantage against Oakland’s bigger corners, they might try to exploit it. Sanders could be a big key this week, and if the Broncos have success throwing the ball against the Raiders, he could be a big reason why.

[Featured Image by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images]

New England Patriots Trade Jamie Collins To Cleveland Browns In Shocking NFL Trade

Posted on by Bryan Zarpentine

The England Patriots have traded linebacker Jamie Collins to the Cleveland Browns. ESPN, through reporter Adam Schefter, was among the first to report the trade of Collins to the Browns early Monday afternoon. It is a rather shocking move by the Patriots, who have traded away one of their most impactful defensive players in the middle of the season.

The Browns will reportedly give the Patriots a compensatory third-round pick in exchange for Collins, who goes from a team that has to be considered one of the top favorites to win the Super Bowl this season to a team many believe will go winless in 2016.

Collins is in his fourth NFL season after being drafted by the Patriots in the second round of the 2013 NFL Draft. After a solid rookie season, Collins had a breakout season in 2014, his second year in the league. During the 2014 season, Collins accumulated 116 tackles and four sacks, cementing himself as one of the top performers on New England’s defense. That year, Collins also had an interception in the AFC Championship Game and posted eight tackles in New England’s Super Bowl win over the Seattle Seahawks.

However, somewhere along the line, New England’s view of Collins and his future with the organization changed. SB Nation reminds us that Collins is set to become a free agent after the season, and it appeared increasingly unlikely that the Patriots would re-sign him. Linebacker Dont’a Hightower and cornerback Malcolm Butler are also free agents and may be viewed as bigger priorities for the Patriots to retain, especially with Collins said to be asking for money in free agency comparable to what Von Miller of the Denver Broncos received last offseason. Miller’s contract is for six years and $114.5 million, with $70 million guaranteed.

Jamie Collins makes a tackle against the Indianapolis Colts. [Image by Joe Robbins/Getty Images]

Nevertheless, the Patriots trading Collins, a player who could still help them win a Super Bowl this season, is quite shocking. The Patriots are 7-1 and once again one of the favorites to win the Super Bowl. Surely, they could have retained Collins for the remainder of the season before letting him walk in free agency, as Collins would undoubtedly be instrumental in helping the Patriots win another championship.

On the other hand, Schefter suggests that Collins’ role with the Patriots was already starting to diminish. Schefter notes that Collins played just 48 of 70 defensive snaps during New England’s win Sunday against the Buffalo Bills. Collins was not on the field when the Bills used a full back or were in obvious running situations, indicating the Patriots no longer view him as an every-down linebacker and, therefore, not worth the money he’ll command on the free agent market. Thus, Collins became expendable, even for a team with Super Bowl aspirations.

Of course, the Patriots trading Collins is not the first time New England has parted ways with one of their best defensive players. Star defensive end Chandler Jones, who, like Collins, will hit the free agent market after the 2016 season, was traded to the Arizona Cardinals in March.

Chandler Jones and Jamie Collins celebrate while both were members of the New England Patriots. [Image by Darren McCollester/Getty Images]

The Patriots have never been shy about putting their system and culture ahead of individual players, but parting ways with both Collins and Jones before their contracts expire is quite shocking and may put their Super Bowl hopes at risk. Even if Collins is no longer an every-down player, he’s still one of the most impactful players on New England’s defense.

From Cleveland’s perspective, trading for Collins is also a bit puzzling. The Browns are 0-8 and obviously not going anywhere this season. On the surface, it doesn’t make sense to trade for a player like Collins, who’s about to enter free agency, no matter how good he is. The Browns will obviously attempt to sign Collins to an extension before he gets to free agency, but as previously mentioned, Collins is seeking a lot of money, and there’s no guarantee he’ll want to stay in Cleveland long-term, especially considering the organization’s profound lack of winning in recent years.

If nothing else, the Browns can place the franchise tag on Collins and keep him in Cleveland in 2017. But Collins alone isn’t going to turn the Browns around unless they can convince him to sign an extension and make him a focal point of their re-building project.

The Patriots trade of Jamie Collins to the Browns makes little sense for both teams on the surface. From New England’s perspective, we’ll know by season’s end if trading Collins is something the team is able to withstand, as it could potentially interfere with their Super Bowl hopes. From Cleveland’s perspective, the trade for Collins is also risky, and only if the Browns can sign Collins to an extension will the move pay off for Cleveland in the long run.

[Featured image via Elsa/Getty Images]

Gus Bradley On Hot Seat, Jacksonville Jaguars’ Owner Comments On Potential Coaching Change

Posted on by Bryan Zarpentine

Jacksonville Jaguars’ head coach Gus Bradley is on the hot seat. Following Thursday’s 36-22 defeat at the hands of the Tennessee Titans, a game that the Jaguars trailed 27-0 at halftime, there’s little doubt that Bradley is feeling immense amounts of heat. Bradley knows his seat is hot but believes that he will have a fair chance to get things turned around, despite his 14-41 record as head coach of the Jaguars.

NFL.com , among other sources, reports that Jaguars’ owner Shad Khan said following Thursday’s loss that Bradley has not coached his last game . However, there’s no denying that the owner is disappointed at the team’s performance.

“Actions speak louder than words,” Khan said after Thursday’s loss. “Very little for me to say.”

Gus Bradley being on the hot seat is difficult to deny, despite the owner saying that a coaching change is not imminent. However, that hasn’t stopped Bradley from being in denial. After Thursday’s game, Bradley told USA Today and other media outlets that he was not worried about his job.

“I worry about this team and why did we perform like that in the first half and figuring out, ‘OK, how can we get it right?’” Bradley commented.

Jacksonville Jaguars’ head coach Gus Bradley. [Image by Rob Foldy/Getty Images]

Of course, even Bradley can’t deny how terrible the Jaguars were on Thursday, particularly in the first half, when the Titans compiled 354 yards of total offense, while the Jaguars managed just 60 yards.

“I’m not making any excuses,” Bradley said. “It was bad.”

Bradley’s status on the hot seat is strongly linked to the poor play of quarterback Blake Bortles, who has not made the kind of progress in his third NFL season that Bradley and the Jaguars were hoping he’d be able to make. Perhaps equally concerning for Jacksonville is that Bortles told ESPN after the game that he doesn’t have the answers for why he and the team are struggling.

“It’s hard for me to sit up here and answer this for you guys,” Bortles said after Thursday’s loss. “You guys know everything I’m going to say, and I don’t know. I tell you the same stuff every week. It’s difficult.”

Bortles reiterated after Thursday’s game, which drops the Jaguars to 2-5 on the season, that confidence in himself isn’t the problem.

“Like I said earlier in the week or last week, you know, confidence isn’t an issue. I believe in myself and this team 100 percent,” the quarterback said. “It’s just a broken record. It’s a lack of execution. It’s mistakes. It’s the same stuff every week.”

Blake Bortles throws a pass against the Tennessee Titans. [Image by Andy Lyons/Getty Images]

Bradley, like almost every other coach in the NFL, has his success tied to the success of his quarterback, and as long as Bortles continues to struggle, the Jaguars are going to struggle to win games and Gus Bradley is going remain on the hot seat.

“He is a pretty confident man,” Bradley said about Bortles Thursday night. “I know he has belief in his capabilities, just like we all do on our team. I think, ‘How does this happen? Why is this happening to us? What are we doing wrong?’ It’s those types of questions that may pop up and this is what we’ve got to find the answers to.”

If it’s any consolation for Bradley and Bortles, they are not the only ones who are searching for answers that don’t appear to exist. Wide receiver Allen Hurns confirmed to ESPN that he doesn’t have any answers for Jacksonville’s problems either.

“Coming into this year nobody saw this coming,” Hurns said. “We thought we would be a high-powered offense and no one would be able to stop us, and the most frustrating thing is we don’t know what’s going on. There’s no answers for us.”

Bradley and the Jaguars appear to have the same issues on the defensive side of the ball, at least according to Malik Jackson, who signed with Jacksonville during the offseason after winning a Super Bowl with the Denver Broncos last season.

“We have the players,” Jackson said. “We have the scheme. We put in the work on and off the field. I see these guys go out on Wednesday through Saturday and bust their ass. You can’t put a finger on this. It’s not like it’s one guy. That’s the hard part because you don’t know what it is. I’m trying to figure it out my damn self.”

Gus Bradley remains on the hot seat at the moment, but it should be obvious to everyone that he needs to be fired, despite what Khan said after Thursday’s loss. It’s one thing for the players to be confused about the answers, but for a head coach like Bradley to be so far from finding a solution means that he’s simply not the right person for the job.

At this point, it’s almost impossible to envision Bradley being able to lead the Jaguars out of the disastrous situation he’s built in Jacksonville. He’s been given more than a fair chance to get the franchise on track, and Khan has cut him more than enough slack.

Bradley being fired seems to be the only answer the Jaguars have at the moment. They just don’t seem willing to see it and accept it, which in the meantime, leaves Gus Bradley dangling on the hot seat.

[Featured Image via Sam Greenwood/Getty Images]

NFL Power Rankings: Top 10 Teams After Week 7

Posted on by Bryan Zarpentine

Putting together NFL power rankings can be a difficult and often futile task, as things can change so much from week to week. Nevertheless, seven weeks into the 2016 NFL season, we have some semblance of what teams belong at the top of the power rankings and what teams are too inconsistent to take seriously. Thus, here are the NFL power rankings after Week 7.

10. Kansas City

After a win over the Saints on Sunday, the Chiefs sneak ahead of the Steelers for the 10th spot in the power rankings. No one is calling Kansas City a Super Bowl contender just yet, but the Chiefs are solid, with a defense that’s better than most in the NFL and a balanced offense led by a quarterback in Alex Smith that knows how to take care of the football. The Chiefs are 2-0 in what looks like a competitive division, so they look like a team capable of earning a wild card spot.

9. Green Bay

Aaron Rodgers hands the ball off to Ty Montgomery. [Image by Stacy Revere/Getty Images]

At times, it’s tough to know what to make of the Packers, as something just looks off about them, particularly with quarterback Aaron Rodgers. That being said, Green Bay’s only losses this year are to the Vikings and Cowboys, and even with a slew of unfortunate injuries, the Packers have beat the teams they’re supposed to beat, which still counts for something in the NFL power rankings. We should learn more about them this week when they visit the Falcons.

8. Washington

Until losing last week in Detroit, the team in Washington had won four in a row, with a win over the Eagles starting to look a lot more impressive. Washington does have its flaws, but at this point, they’ve done enough to deserve a spot somewhere in the top 10 of the power rankings.

7. Oakland

It’s tough to buy-in on the Raiders completely at this point in the season, but a 5-2 record can’t be ignored. Defensively, Oakland has had more bad days than good days this season, and that has to be a concern moving forward. The Raiders also don’t have a win over a team with a winning record, and for a franchise that has not had a track record of success in recent years, it could prevent them from climbing any further up the power rankings.

6. Atlanta

The Falcons have to be disappointed with back-to-back losses, but their place in the power rankings can’t fall too much, as those two losses were by a combined five points. Atlanta also has road wins over the Raiders, Saints, and Broncos. Most NFL teams would be pleased with three road wins on the season, but the Falcons have won three of their first four road contests, and that means something.

5. Denver

The Broncos were starting to slip in the NFL power rankings after two straight losses, but Monday night’s dominating performance over the Texans brings them back into the top five.

Remember, one of Denver’s losses was without starting quarterback Trevor Siemian, and the other was on a short week without head coach Gary Kubiak. If the Broncos can start to show more balance on offense, there’s no reason why they can’t be considered Super Bowl contenders.

4. Philadelphia

Quarterback Carson Wentz avoids Everson Griffen. [Image by Rich Schultz/Getty Images]

After Sunday’s win over the Vikings, the NFL’s last remaining undefeated team, Philadelphia’s spot towards the top of the power rankings looks secure. Rookie quarterback Carson Wentz has had his struggles, but overall he’s been far better than anticipated. Meanwhile, the Eagles have been one of the best defensive teams in the NFL this year. The next step for Philadelphia is to beat a good team on the road, and if they can do that, they’ll be in the conversation for the top spot in the power rankings.

3. New England

The Patriots have looked good since Tom Brady’s return, but they’ve beaten up on mostly mediocre teams, including a Pittsburgh team that was without Ben Roethlisberger. If New England can avenge its only loss this season in Buffalo this week, the Patriots can make a strong argument for being the top team in the NFL power rankings.

2. Dallas

Not everyone is sold on the Cowboys, and that’s fine. However, they have just one loss this season, and it was by a single point in Week 1 with a rookie quarterback making his first career start. With the best offensive line in football, the tandem of Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott should continue to thrive, making the Cowboys look more and more like a Super Bowl contender every week.

1. Minnesota

The NFL power rankings will not be fooled by one loss, especially on the road against a good team. The Vikings remain the best team in the NFL right now based on the play of their suffocating defense through the first seven weeks of the season. There will be ups and downs offensively, but Minnesota’s defense always gives them a chance to win and is the type of defense that can carry them throughout the season and has taken them to the top of the NFL power rankings.

[Featured Image by Joe Sargent/Getty Images]

College Football Playoff: Five One-Loss Teams That Could Crash The Party

Posted on by Bryan Zarpentine

The College Football Playoff committee is still one week away from unveiling its first ranking of the season, at which point we will finally get some clarity on what teams have the inside track at reaching the four-team playoff at season’s end. As of right now, there are still seven undefeated teams among college football’s Power 5 conferences, and those seven teams would appear to be the favorites to reach the four-team playoff.

However, with a little more than half the season left to play, not to mention conference championship games, there’s more than enough time for some one-loss teams to work themselves back into the conversation for a playoff spot, especially if some of those undefeated teams start to lose. Heading into Week 9 of the college football season, here is a handful of one-loss teams that are very much alive for a spot in the College Football Playoff.

Utah

The College Football Playoff is a long shot for Utah, but don’t count the Utes out just yet, even though they are no higher than no. 16 in any of the polls. Utah hosts undefeated Washington this weekend, in a game the Seattle Times believes could help Washington impress the playoff committee . But a win by Utah could also put them on the playoff committee’s radar. A loss to Cal earlier this year won’t look good on their resume, but if the Utes win out, they’ll have wins over Washington, Colorado, USC, Arizona State, Oregon, and possibly a second win over Washington in the Pac-12 Championship Game, which is an impressive collection of wins. Such a scenario may seem unlikely, but remember that Utah won 10 games last year, including a win over Michigan, so this is a program that has the potential to surprise some people.

Florida

Tyrie Cleveland of the Florida Gators celebrates a touchdown. [Image by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images]

The Gators haven’t played great this year (see a 13-6 win over Vanderbilt), but they still control their own destiny with regard to winning the SEC East and playing in the conference title game, so they are still in the playoff picture. A second loss would rule them out of a playoff spot, but if Florida wins all of its remaining games, including road games against Arkansas, LSU, and Florida State, they’ll have a great resume on paper heading into the SEC Championship Game. The Florida defense is one of the best in the country, and if quarterback Luke Del Rio can stay healthy, the Gators have to be looked at as a serious contender.

Texas A&M

Despite a lopsided loss at Alabama last week, the Aggies could still crash the College Football Playoff party. Fox Sports actually calls Texas A&M the most controversial team in the playoff discussion. The Aggies will need Alabama to lose twice to have a chance to make the SEC Championship Game, but Alabama not losing could actually work in A&M’s favor. A team that’s 11-1, whose lone loss was away at Alabama, would look good in the eyes of the playoff committee. With wins over UCLA and Tennessee and an opportunity to win games against Ole Miss and LSU later in the year, the Aggies could still sneak into the College Football Playoff if they win the rest of their games, whether they play in the SEC Title Game or not.

Ohio State

The College Football Playoff committee may not look kindly at Ohio State’s loss to Penn State last week, but the Buckeyes could still control their own destiny. Ohio State can get back into the playoff committee’s good graces by defeating previously unbeaten Nebraska and Michigan later this year.

Remember, as long as Penn State doesn’t run the table, Ohio State can clinch a spot in the Big 10 Championship Game by winning the rest of their games, including that showdown with Michigan during the final week of the season. A one-loss Big 10 champion with a slew of quality wins would be tough to keep out of the College Football Playoff.

Louisville

Louisville quarterback Lamar Jackson eludes a defensive player. [Image by Andy Lyons/Getty Images]

Crashing the College Football Playoff party is still on the table for Louisville. Much like Texas A&M, the Cardinals have a chance to become the first team to make the playoff without winning its conference championship. All Louisville can do is take care of its business and hope that Clemson does the same. If Clemson is an undefeated ACC champion, they would undoubtedly be in the College Football Playoff, and if Louisville is 11-1, with its only loss being a close game at Clemson, their resume would stack up well with any other team in the country. The Cardinals play Houston and Kentucky late in the season, but other than that, no one on their schedule should be able to challenge them on the field, keeping them very much alive for a spot in the College Football Playoff.

[Featured Image by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images]

Buffalo Bills Vs. Miami Dolphins: 5 Bold Predictions For NFL Week 7

Posted on by Bryan Zarpentine

The Buffalo Bills, to the surprise of many around the NFL, have won four straight games and are looking like a legitimate playoff contender. The Bills hope to make it five wins in a row this Sunday when they play their AFC East rivals the Miami Dolphins in Week 7. Most people were ready to write off the Dolphins after a 1-4 start, but that changed after a win last week over the Pittsburgh Steelers, which was equal parts shocking and impressive.

The Bills and Dolphins are two are bitter rivals that almost always play a competitive game against one another, regardless of each team’s record. The fact that both teams have several players who have played on both sides of the rivalry only heightens the intensity for what is an important game for both teams. Here are five bold predictions for what to expect Sunday when the Buffalo Bills play the Miami Dolphins.

Mario Williams Has Quiet Day

Miami Dolphins’ lineman Mario Williams chases Terrelle Pryor. [Image by Eric Espada/Getty Images]

Williams spent the last four seasons with the Bills, and on Sunday, he will be playing against his former team for the first time since being released by the Bills during the offseason. He tells NBC Sports that he has no extra motivation playing against the Bills, but it’s hard to believe that’s true after the way he left Buffalo. Williams will certainly be eager to show the Bills what they’re missing. Unfortunately, those hopes won’t come to fruition for him. Williams has just one sack on the year, and he played just 13 snaps last week against the Steelers, as his first season in Miami is not going as well as he hoped. The Bills won’t have to worry too much about Williams hurting them this week.

Mike Gillislee Steps Up

The Bills may have lost starting running back LaSean McCoy to a hamstring injury he suffered in practice on Wednesday. CBS Sports is reporting that McCoy did not practice on Thursday, so his availability for Sunday is in doubt.

However, Buffalo doesn’t have to worry too much, as Gillislee is a capable backup if McCoy can’t play. Granted, Gillislee has just 70 career carries in three NFL seasons, but he’s a well-rounded running back who just needs an opportunity to show what he can do. He had six carries for 61 yards and a touchdown last week, and if Gillislee carries the ball 15 to 20 times against the Dolphins, the Bills will be in good hands.

Ryan Tannehill Plays His Worst Game Of The Season

Tannehill was most impressive last week against the Steelers. Despite not throwing a touchdown pass, he completed 75 percent of his passes and didn’t throw an interception for just the second time this year. Naturally, he’ll come crashing back to Earth this week. With Jerry Hughes and Lorenzo Alexander, the Bills have two outside pass rushers who will put all kinds of pressure on Tannehill, forcing him to take three sacks and throw at least two interceptions.

Miami Dolphins’ quarterback Ryan Tannehill fumbles the ball. [Image by John Grieshop/Getty Images]

Charles Clay Scores Two Touchdowns

Clay is another player who has been on both sides of this rivalry, and he is poised to play an important role in Buffalo’s offense this week. Last year, when he played against the Dolphins for the first time, Clay caught five passes for 82 yards and a touchdown. He’ll do even better in his return to Miami this time around, as the Miami defense has been hurt by tight ends on multiple occasions this year. When the Bills get into the red zone, Tyrod Taylor will be looking for Clay, who will end up scoring two touchdowns on Sunday against his former team.

Buffalo Bills Win 24-7

The Dolphins were impressive last week, but there’s nothing about their season that indicates they’ll be able to put together a performance like that two weeks in a row. Meanwhile, the Bills look like they could be real. The Buffalo defense has only given up more than 20 points once this season. Meanwhile, offensively, the Bills have scored at least 30 points in four of their six games. Even on the road against a bitter rival, the Bills will win comfortably, as Buffalo’s winning streak stretches to five games.

[Featured Image by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images]

New York Giants Vs. Los Angeles Rams: 5 Bold Predictions For NFL Week 7

Posted on by Bryan Zarpentine

The New York Giants and Los Angeles Rams will be in London on Sunday, as the NFL hosts a game across the pond for the second time this season. Without knowing it, the NFL has sent two teams to London that have been among the hardest in the league to figure out this season.

New York’s season has been a bit of a rollercoaster through the first six weeks, as the Giants have won impressively at times, but have also suffered a three-game losing streak. Even within a single game, the Giants have endured plenty of highs and lows, so you never sure what team is going to show up from one drive to the next, let alone one game to the next.

The Rams, meanwhile, have looked great some weeks, only to look like a train wreck in other weeks. In their first season back in Los Angeles, the Rams have been involved in both offensive slugfests and defensive struggles. Like the Giants, they have been next to impossible to figure out. Nevertheless, here are five bold predictions for Sunday’s game in London between the Giants and Rams.

Todd Gurley Finally Rushes For 100 Yards

Los Angeles Rams’ running back Todd Gurley rushing against the Buffalo Bills. [Photo by Harry How/Getty Images]

After an impressive rookie campaign for the Rams last season, Gurley has been slow to get going in 2016. It’s not entirely his fault, as opposing defenses haven’t exactly given a lot of respect to the Los Angeles passing attack, allowing them to focus their efforts on stopping Gurley. However, in London, he’ll finally be able to breakout and have a 100-yard rushing game, as The Whittier Daily News reports the Rams are doing more to make Gurley more effective . New York’s defense has allowed an 80-yard rusher each of the last three weeks, and Gurley will continue that trend, except he’ll break the century-mark on the ground against the Giants.

Eli Manning Throws Three Interceptions

Admittedly, this isn’t the boldest prediction, as Manning is turnover prone. However, he’s yet to have a three-interception game for the Giants this season, so he’s due to have one this week. That doesn’t mean he won’t throw for a lot of yards and a couple touchdowns, but behind Aaron Donald and a strong defensive line, the Rams will put Manning under a lot of pressure. This will force Manning to make some bad decisions and bad throws, which will allow Mark Barron and T.J. McDonald to get some opportunistic interceptions.

Kenny Britt Is Limited To One Catch

Britt was huge for the Rams last week, catching seven passes for 136 yards and two touchdowns, but he’s never been the most consistent playmaker, so this week he’ll disappear completely. New York’s secondary should be good enough to slow down Britt, and Los Angeles quarterback Case Keenum isn’t the most reliable quarterback from week to week, so it’s not hard to imagine him struggling against the Giants and failing to find Britt for more than one catch.

Victor Cruz Has First 100-Yard Receiving Game Since 2014

[Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images]

The Giants got a massive game out of Odell Beckham Jr. last week, and so the Rams will naturally focus most of their attention on stopping him this week. That will leave the door open for Cruz to have a big game and eclipse the 100-yard mark for the first time since 2014. After a couple of injury-plagued seasons, Cruz has once again become a reliable target for Manning and a steady contributor for the Giants. CBS News in New York tells us that Cruz is excited to play in London this week, and with so much attention likely to be paid to Beckham, Cruz will become Manning’s preferred target and have a big game.

New York Giants Win Shootout 38-34

The Giants and Rams are both frustrating and hard to figure out, but for some reason, this game feels like it’ll be a shootout. Even if he throws a few interceptions, Manning will create some big plays in the passing game, and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the Giants benefit from a big play on special teams. Meanwhile, Gurley’s running and the turnovers forced by the Los Angeles defense will put the Rams in a position to score points and stay in the game. However, when Keenum gets the ball in the final minutes, he won’t be able to lead the Rams on a game-winning drive against New York’s defense, and the Giants will ultimately prevail 38-34.

[Featured Image by Michael B. Thomas/Getty Images]

College Football Playoff: Five Games That Matter In Week 8

Posted on by Bryan Zarpentine

There are still a couple more weeks until the College Football Playoff committee releases its initial rankings for the season, but the race for those precious four spots in the College Football Playoff is already in full swing. Seven weeks into the college football season, there are more than 10 teams that remain undefeated, not to mention a slew of one- and two-loss teams that believe they still have a chance to reach the four-team playoff at season’s end.

Each week brings a new set of games that will have an impact on what teams reach the College Football Playoff. Each week, teams have their hopes of reaching the playoff crushed, while other teams take one more step towards reaching the promised land. Here are five games in Week 8 that will have an impact on what teams reach the College Football Playoff in 2016.

NC State at Louisville

The Cardinals have one loss this season, but behind Heisman frontrunner Lamar Jackson, they are very much alive for a spot in the College Football Playoff. If Louisville’s lone loss of the season is a close game on the road against a Clemson team that goes undefeated, the playoff committee has to give them serious consideration. Of course, the Cardinals have to win out, and that includes this week against N.C. State. The Wolf Pack suffered a heart-breaking loss at Clemson last week. But in that game, they proved that they’re capable of going toe-to-toe with any team in the country. After a lackluster win over Duke last week, the Cardinals have to be ready to get a tough game from N.C. State this weekend. If Louisville loses, it will most likely knock them out of the playoff conversation.

Louisville quarterback Lamar Jackson. [Image by Andy Lyons/Getty Images]

TCU at West Virginia

Don’t look now, but West Virginia is 5-0 and creeping their way towards the College Football Playoff conversation. As SBNation asserts, West Virginia could secure a spot in the playoff if they go undefeated this year . The Big 12 isn’t particularly strong this season, so any loss by a Big 12 team will almost certainly rule them out of the playoff. However, a weak conference also makes it easier to go undefeated, and with no conference championship game, it’s even easier for Big 12 teams like West Virginia to avoid a loss before the playoff. This week may be West Virginia’s biggest test of the season, as they face a TCU team that has proven they can move the ball and score points against any team in the country. But a win for West Virginia and the playoff committee will have to start looking at the Mountaineers seriously.

Purdue at Nebraska

Nebraska is another surprise team to enter the College Football Playoff conversation, as the Cornhuskers have started the season 6-0. On paper, this week’s game against Purdue should be an easy win, but for Nebraska, it’s a potential trap game. The Cornhuskers have road games against Ohio State and Wisconsin the next two weeks, so it would be easy to look past Purdue and assume an easy win this week. But if Nebraska wants to remain a part of the playoff conversation, they can’t slip up this weekend against Purdue.

Texas A&M at Alabama

Alabama playing Texas A&M in 2015. [Image by Scott Halleran/Getty Images]

This is the game of the week in college football this weekend, and it’s easy to see why CBS Sports believes the winner could go to the SEC Championship Game . Obviously, both Alabama and Texas A&M will have difficult games beyond this week, but the winner will be in the driver’s seat for the SEC West title. The winner may even be able to lose a game and still play for the SEC title and earn a spot in the College Football Playoff. Meanwhile, the loser will have no margin for error the rest of the season and will have to get plenty of help down the stretch to work their way into the four-team playoff. On top of all that, Alabama’s stout defense going up against A&M’s high-powered offense figures to be a fascinating matchup, and it has the potential to be one of the best games in college football this season.

Ohio State at Penn State

The Buckeyes survived a scare on the road last week against Wisconsin, and Urban Meyer’s team will now turn around and play in another hostile road environment this weekend when they play a night game in Happy Valley. Penn State is a flawed team, and talent-wise, they shouldn’t be able to match up against Ohio State. That being said, the Nittany Lions are undefeated at home this year, and they’ll be excited to play the role of spoiler. If the Buckeyes aren’t on top of their game, Penn State could surprise them, which would have a significant impact on Ohio State’s chances of reaching the College Football Playoff.

[Featured Image by Dylan Buell/Getty Images]

Chicago Bears Vs. Jacksonville Jaguars: 5 Bold Predictions For NFL Week 6

Posted on by Bryan Zarpentine

The Chicago Bears hosting the Jacksonville Jaguars is far from a marquee matchup on the Week 6 NFL schedule. But often times, games like these are the ones that end up being the most entertaining to watch on Sunday afternoon. Yes, both the Bears and Jaguars have just one win each on the season thus far, but both have shown signs of being better than their record would suggest.

The Jaguars, in particular, may have been the best team to start a season 0-3 in a number of years. Jacksonville was painfully close to beating both Green Bay and Baltimore before finally earning an impressive win over the Colts a couple weeks ago. The Bears, meanwhile, have been victimized by injuries and a rather difficult schedule early in the season.

The result is a game between two teams both desperate for a win. One should expect both teams to approach this game as if their season depended on it, which may actually be true, as the loser will have an almost impossible task ahead of them with regard to making the playoffs. Here are five bold predictions for what to expect between the Bears and Jaguars in Chicago on Sunday.

Alshon Jeffery Scores First His Touchdown Of Season

It’s almost unfathomable that a receiver like Jeffery has yet to catch a touchdown pass in five games this season, but it’s true. Despite being limited in practice for much of the season with a knee injury, Jeffery is averaging close to 18 yards per reception. However, he still hasn’t found the end zone in 2016. That will change this week, as Jeffery will win a one-on-one matchup against Jacksonville rookie Jalen Ramsey, allowing him to score his first touchdown of the season.

Myles Jack makes a tackle during an NFL game. [Image by Ben Hoskins/Getty Images]

Myles Jack Gets Sack And Interception

Speaking of Jacksonville rookies, this is finally the week that Myles Jack makes his presence felt. Jack is slowly working his way to becoming a bigger part of the defense, sharing time at outside linebacker with Telvin Smith. However, following a bye week for the Jaguars, Jack is going to be a lot better prepared to contribute and play a lot more snaps against the Bears on Sunday. The rookie from UCLA will make the most of his opportunity, registering both the first sack and first interception of his NFL career against Chicago.

Brian Hoyer His Throws First Interception Of The Season

In three and a half games for the Bears this season, Hoyer has six touchdowns and no interceptions, but that last stat is about to change. Hoyer has done well to protect the ball this season, something that is rarely said about Chicago’s usual starter Jay Cutler. However, when the Bears get drawn into a shootout on Sunday, Hoyer will have to force things, and that will lead to him throwing an interception or two. Jacksonville’s pass defense isn’t that good, but the Jaguars have enough opportunistic defenders to pick off Hoyer if he makes a mistake.

T.J. Yeldon Rushers For Over 140 Yards

Chicago’s rush defense is one of the worst in the NFL, making this the perfect time for a breakout game from Jacksonville running back T.J. Yeldon. It’s been tough sledding for Yeldon and the Jacksonville rushing game thus far, but the Jaguars made some changes during their last game against the Colts, helping Yeldon rush for a season-high 71 yards. Against the Bears, Yeldon will double that total, breaking loose on multiple occasions to help give him just the third 100-yard rushing game of his career.

T.J. Yeldon scores a touchdown for the Jacksonville Jaguars. [Image by Joel Auerbach/Getty Images]

Jaguars Win 35-31 On Last-Minute Score

The Bears and Jaguars are both giving up over 25 points per game, and while each team has struggled offensively at times this season, Sunday’s game in Chicago will see plenty of scoring. Jeffery and Hoyer will help give the Bears a 4th quarter lead, but Blake Bortles will lead the Jaguars on a two-minute drive late in the game. Bortles will pick apart the Chicago secondary, ultimately finding tight end Julius Thomas in the end zone for the game-winning touchdown. For the Jaguars, the win will give them momentum for the remainder of the season, while the Bears will walk away defeated, as their season continues to spiral out of control.

[Featured Image by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images]

Denver Broncos vs. San Diego Chargers: 5 Bold Predictions For NFL Week 6

Posted on by Bryan Zarpentine

The Denver Broncos will visit the San Diego Chargers to kick off Week 6 of the NFL schedule on Thursday night. Despite being a matchup between a 4-1 team that’s coming off a Super Bowl championship last season and a 1-4 team that looks poised to finish last in their division this season, these two AFC West rivals almost always put on a good show.

The Broncos, unfortunately, will be playing without head coach Gary Kubiak on Thursday night. As the Inquisitr tells us, Kubiak will not coach after being rushed to the hospital following Sunday’s loss to the Atlanta Falcons. With the Broncos playing on Thursday, there’s no reason for Kubiak to rush back so quickly, especially with most of the season left to play.

Nevertheless, the Broncos and Chargers will square off Thursday night in San Diego, and here are five bold predictions for this Week 6 NFL showdown.

Melvin Gordon Held Under 25 Yards Rushing

Gordon has found the end zone six times this season, which is great for the Chargers, but he hasn’t done much else. He’s averaging just 3.4 yards per carry, which isn’t enough to give San Diego a consistent rushing attack. He’s also lost two fumbles this year. Against a Denver defense that’s one of the best in the league, he’ll have all kinds of problems gaining yards. Opportunities close to the goal line will be tough to come by against the Broncos, so don’t expect Gordon to find the end zone. In fact, Gordon will struggle so much that the Chargers will eventually abandon the running game, leaving their starting running back with less than 25 yards rushing against the Broncos on Thursday night.

Melvin Gordon being tackled by the Denver Broncos in 2015. [Image by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images]

Trevor Siemian Returns With A Bang And Cements Starting Quarterback Job

The Broncos played Sunday with Paxton Lynch at quarterback, as Siemian was resting a shoulder injury he suffered the previous week. However, NFL.com is reporting that Siemian will be back in the starting lineup for the Broncos Thursday against the Chargers. The last time he played a full game, Siemian threw for 312 yards and four touchdowns against the Cincinnati Bengals, a team with a much better defense than the Chargers. Expect Siemian to have another big game Thursday, leaving no doubt that he’s the guy in Denver this year after Lynch delivered an uneven performance in his first NFL start on Sunday.

Philip Rivers Gets Sacked Five Times

The Denver defense is tied with the Minnesota Vikings for the most sacks in the NFL this season with 19, which is an average of nearly four sacks per game. That means San Diego quarterback Philip Rivers is in for a rough night on Thursday. With Gordon and the Chargers struggling to run the ball, Von Miller and company will be able to pin their ears back and go after Rivers all night. Rivers has only been sacked 11 times this season, which is an acceptable amount, but he hasn’t seen a pass rush like this since he faced the Broncos last year, getting sacked seven times over the course of two games. Denver will get to Rivers at least five times on Thursday night.

Cody Latimer Finally Has Breakout Game At Wide Receiver

In his third NFL season, Latimer has yet to make much noise as a receiver, although he has become a consistent contributor for the Broncos on special teams. However, in a short week, the Broncos will throw a little wrinkle into their game plan and make Latimer a bigger part of the offense, knowing the Chargers won’t have time to prepare to face him. Siemian will find him early and often, finally allowing Latimer to break out and become a meaningful part of the Denver offense the rest of the season.

Body Latimer catches a pass for the Denver Broncos during a preseason game. [Image by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images]

Broncos Win 34-10

It’s been a frustrating year for the Chargers, as their four losses have come by a combined 14 points. But there will be no nervous energy in the second half of Thursday’s game, as the Broncos will be in complete control from start to finish. Denver will undoubtedly be upset after suffering their first loss of the season on Sunday, and the Broncos will take out that frustration on the Chargers. San Diego will enter the game thinking they have a chance, and they may even take an early lead, but these two teams are on different levels, and the Broncos will have a dominating night, blowing out their division rivals 34-10.

[Featured Image by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images]

Donald Trump: Paul Ryan Done Defending Republican Nominee, Conceding White House To Hillary Clinton

Posted on by Bryan Zarpentine

Paul Ryan, one of the top leaders of the Republican Party, says he’s fed up trying to defend his party’s nominee for president, Donald Trump. One day after the second presidential debate, Ryan told a group of Republicans he’s no longer going to spend his time and energy defending the polarizing Trump and will instead focus his efforts on trying to keep a strong Republican presence in Congress. In a somewhat subtle way, Ryan’s words imply that he is preparing to concede the presidential race to Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton.

CNN is reporting that Paul Ryan was on a conference call Monday morning with other Republican leaders , during which he implored them to do what is best for them individually, as well as their districts. This can only be interpreted as Ryan urging other members of his party to not allow Trump’s presence on the ballot to have a negative impact on congressional races.

Paul Ryan spokesperson AshLee Strong issued a statement to clarify the speaker of the house’s plans between now and election day.

“The speaker is going to spend the next month focused entirely on protecting our congressional majorities.”

Speaker of the House Paul Ryan with Vice President nominee Mike Pence and other Republican leaders. [Image by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images]

According to NPR, Strong was asked if Ryan would take back his earlier endorsement of Trump but said that there was no update on the speaker’s position. Of course, Ryan saying that he is no longer defending Trump’s actions or campaigning either with him or on his behalf is akin to rescinding his earlier decision to support the Republican nominee.

Paul Ryan made his announcement about no longer supporting Trump on Monday, the day after Trump turned in what most consider to be a solid performance in the second Presidential debate. However, Ryan is most likely reacting to the video from 2005 that surfaced last week in which Trump was speaking lewdly about women and for all intents and purposes admitted to committing sexual assault.

After the video surfaced, Ryan quickly canceled plans to campaign alongside Trump on Saturday in Ryan’s home state of Wisconsin. According to MSN and other sources, Ryan also issued a statement on Friday in response to the tape.

“I am sickened by what I heard today,” the statement read. “Women are to be championed and revered, not objectified. I hope Mr. Trump treats this situation with the seriousness it deserves and works to demonstrate to the country that he has greater respect for women than this clip suggests. In the meantime, he is no longer attending tomorrow’s event in Wisconsin.”

Ryan then took things to the next level on Monday by continuing to distance himself from Trump, although in a more permanent and meaningful way.

Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump at the second Presidential debate. [Image by Saul Loeb-Pool/Getty Images]

Ryan’s thinking in distancing himself from Trump after last week’s video is that if Trump continues to falter, fewer Republicans will show up to the polls on November 8, which would hurt Republicans in Congressional races. Republicans currently own a 30-seat majority in the House of Representatives, but Ryan knows that can quickly change if Trump continues to alienate voters who would ordinarily show up to the polls and vote for Republicans up and down the ticket.

Many other Republicans have similar fears, as Ryan is joining an already long list of Republicans who have either distanced themselves from Trump or condemned the Republican nominee since the now infamous video surfaced. By choosing to focus on local congressional races, Ryan is hoping that the Republicans don’t lose their majority in Congress, even if it looks increasingly likely that the Democrats will retain the White House.

As one might expect, Trump has been unfazed by Ryan pulling his support. A Trump campaign representative told CNN that the Republican nominee is aware that some members of Congress may need to disassociate from him in order to win their race. Even without the support of a growing list of party members, Trump insists he wants as many Republicans as possible in Congress, believing they will be onboard with his policies once he takes office.

Paul Ryan’s actions on Monday make it hard to deny that he’s losing faith in the Republicans taking back the White House in November. However, his representatives insist that he is not conceding the election to Clinton. Nevertheless, Ryan is arguably the most important Republican leader to distance himself from Trump since last week, as the Republican nominee continues to lose credibility and support within his own party. With Election Day less than a month away, losing Paul Ryan’s support is a huge hit for the Trump campaign, whether they’re willing to admit it or not.

[Featured Image by Mark Wilson/Getty Images]

49ers’ Quarterback Situation To Be Evaluated After 1-4 Start To Season

Posted on by Bryan Zarpentine

The San Francisco 49ers’ quarterback situation is uncertain following the team’s Thursday night loss to the Arizona Cardinals. The loss drops the 49ers to 1-4 on the season, a dangerous place to be for any team that has hopes of reaching the playoffs. Blaine Gabbert has started the first five games of the season for the 49ers, but after Thursday’s loss, Sports Illustrated reports that head coach Chip Kelly plans to re-evaluate the quarterback situation .

“I don’t think anybody played well on offense. Nobody did,” Kelly said about Thursday’s loss. “I think we’re going to look at everything. We are 1-4, we have got to make sure we’re going out there and giving us the best chance to win so we’re going to look at everything.”

Gabbert helped the 49ers beat the Los Angeles Rams in Week 1, but since then, the 49ers have lost four games in a row, with Gabbert throwing more interceptions than touchdowns. During the second half of the 49ers’ game Thursday night, fans began expressing their desire to see backup quarterback Colin Kaepernick, as chants of “We want Kap” could be heard at Levi’s Stadium.

49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick kneeling during the National Anthem. [Image by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images]

Kaepernick has made headlines this season for refusing to stand during the National Anthem, but his only action at quarterback this year was in mop-up duty in Week 1. However, Kaepernick has had past success with the 49ers, leading them to the Super Bowl during the 2012 season. He is also in the midst of a contract worth up to $126 million, and so another chance to be the 49ers’ quarterback would appear inevitable given Gabbert’s struggles and the team’s current losing streak, in addition to the money Kaepernick is making.

Following the 49ers’ loss on Thursday, Kaepernick did not speak to the media, but Gabbert did, lamenting his poor performance to ESPN and other outlets.

“It’s extremely frustrating,” he said. “I let this team and this organization down tonight and did not play good whatsoever, and that’s on me. I had two crucial turnovers there that led to points for the Cardinals and that was the difference in the game right there. I got to do a better job protecting the football and leading this team to scoring more points and winning games.”

Gabbert also acknowledged that his spot as the 49ers’ quarterback could be in jeopardy moving forward.

“I’ve got to play better,” Gabbert said. “There’s no question to that. I’ve got to do a better job leading this football team, executing this offense, scoring points, winning games, the whole nine yards. That’s just the way it goes. I’ve got to play better.”

The 49ers’ quarterback job was taken away from Kaepernick and given to Gabbert in part because Kaepernick spent the offseason recovering from a slew of injuries, and Kelly believed he was not in ideal playing shape at the start of training camp. Kelly, who is in his first season as the 49ers’ head coach, has said in the past that he’d like Kaepernick to return to the playing weight he had in past years, enabling him to be a better runner. In Kelly’s offense, an athletic and mobile quarterback like Kaepernick could be more effective than Gabbert, which again points to the 49ers making a change at quarterback at some point.

San Francisco 49ers head coach Chip Kelly. [Image by Steve Dykes/Getty Images]

Nevertheless, Kelly insists that Gabbert has been the better quarterback in practice, which is another reason why Kaepernick has stayed on the 49ers’ bench this season.

“Blaine has done a really nice job in practice,” Kelly said. “I would expect us to execute in practice now. It’s a controlled environment; you’re in a lot of trouble if you’re not having any success in practice, either. I think that’s what we have to make sure we can do is can we take it from the practice field to the game field, and we’re not doing that right now on the offensive side of the ball.”

The 49ers have a little extra time to evaluate the quarterback position before their Week 6 game against the Buffalo Bills, so it’ll be interesting to see if a change at quarterback does occur. Kelly was clear to say after Thursday’s game that a decision to change quarterbacks had not been made, nor did he consider changing his quarterback at any point during Thursday’s game.

Nevertheless, the 49ers are in a danger zone in terms of their season, and their quarterback play has been part of the problem. Kaepernick may not be ready to be the 49ers’ starting quarterback at this point, but he does have a higher upside than Gabbert, particularly in Kelly’s offense. That may be reason enough for the 49ers to make a change at quarterback, and after Thursday’s loss, the time may be right to make that change.

[Featured Image by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images]

College Football: 6 Games You Must Watch During Week 6

Posted on by Bryan Zarpentine

College football is moving into October, which means we’ve seen just enough football to know what teams are going to have a chance to reach the College Football Playoff this season. The schedule in Week 6 offers one of the most exciting sets of matchups we’ve seen in college football this year since the first week of the season. This weekend offers a great opportunity to see what college football teams are viable championship contenders and what teams are pretenders.

To keep up with all the action, here are six college football games you must watch this weekend.

Texas vs. Oklahoma, Noon

With a pair of 2-2 teams facing off, the Red River Rivalry doesn’t have quite as much luster as it usually does, but this is still one of the best rivalries in college football. Once again, Texas head coach Charlie Strong finds himself on the hot seat, as the Inquisitr previously reported that it may be time for Texas to move on from Strong . The team’s opening weekend win over Notre Dame is now a distant memory, but a Longhorn win over Oklahoma could give Strong some positive momentum and give him a chance to remain the football coach at Texas beyond this season. Strong is taking over control of the defensive play calling this week, and it’ll be interesting to see if that makes any difference against an Oklahoma team that has had no problem scoring points this season, despite suffering losses at the hands of Houston and Ohio State.

Texas football head coach Charlie Strong. [Image by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images]

LSU at Florida, Noon

These are two bitter rivals that almost always produce a memorable college football game. Florida is expecting quarterback Luke Del Rio to return from injury this week, which should give the team a boost.

Meanwhile, LSU running back Leonard Fournette is unlikely to play, which could hurt the Tigers, even after last week’s offensive explosion against Missouri.

Behind interim coach Ed Orgeron, the Tigers still have hopes to win the SEC West, but only if they win the rest of their games, and that includes finding a way to win Saturday in the Swamp.

Florida State at Miami, 8 p.m.

College football is always better when Florida State and Miami are playing meaningful games, and this game is definitely meaningful. The Hurricanes are No. 10 in the polls by virtue of a 4-0 start, albeit against a rather easy schedule, making this Miami’s first true test of the season. The Seminoles are likely out of the College Football Playoff picture with two losses this season, but Florida State would love nothing more than to play the role of spoiler against Miami. If that’s not enough to get you interested, this game could be played amidst rain and wind created by Hurricane Matthew, which should make for a sloppy but entertaining college football game.

Washington at Oregon, 7:30 p.m.

This game could signal a changing of the guard in the Pac-12. Washington blew away Stanford last week, and they’re looking to do the same to Oregon this week. A win for the Huskies would give them complete control of the Pac-12 North and solidify their standing as contenders to reach the College Football Playoff. Meanwhile, Oregon is trying to stop a three-game losing streak, a sentence you’d never expect to hear about the Ducks a couple years ago. If Oregon can pull off the upset at home, it’s most likely going to occur in a high-scoring game, making this a good, old-fashioned college football shootout.

Tennessee at Texas A&M, 3:30 p.m.

Tennessee celebrates its miraculous win over Georgia. [Image by Scott Cunningham/Getty Images]

The way Tennessee has come from behind this season makes them must-see TV for any college football fan. Late-game fireworks, including last week’s Hail Mary against Georgia, have made the Vols 5-0 and thinking about the SEC Title Game and the College Football Playoff heading into Saturday’s showdown with the Aggies. Of course, Texas A&M has already beaten two ranked teams this season and looks poised to add a third ranked team to its resume before the College Football Playoff committee meets for the first time. But even if the Aggies are able to build a big lead early, no lead against Tennessee has been safe this year, potentially setting up what could be another unforgettable finish.

Alabama at Arkansas, 7 p.m.

College football’s top-ranked team is about to get its toughest test of the season thus far. Alabama survived a trip to Ole Miss last month, but a Saturday night with Bret Bielema’s Razorbacks could be a more difficult matchup for the Crimson Tide. The last time Nick Saban’s team visited Arkansas, they were lucky to escape with a one-point win. Saturday’s game could be just as close, making it another huge test for freshman quarterback Jalen Hurts. This week begins a stretch of three straight games against ranked teams for Alabama, and the Crimson Tide definitely can’t afford to look past Arkansas, or else they could suffer a loss that shakes up the entire college football world.

[Featured Image by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images]

Hurricane Matthew Evacuation Preparations Begin In Southeastern United States

Posted on by Bryan Zarpentine

Hurricane Matthew made landfall in Haiti on Tuesday, and now evacuation plans are underway in the southeastern United States in preparation for the storm making landfall there later this week. CBS News reported on Tuesday that a hurricane watch has been issued by the National Hurricane Center for South Florida, while coastal areas in the Carolinas are also starting to prepare to get hit by Matthew, a storm that is being called the strongest Atlantic hurricane in nearly a decade.

Upon its landfall in Haiti on Tuesday, Hurricane Matthew had sustained winds of 145 mph, making it a Category 4 hurricane. USA Today cites National Hurricane Center spokesman Dennis Feltgen in predicting that Florida could begin experiencing Matthew’s hurricane-force winds by the middle of the day on Thursday. However, Feltgen says it’s still too early to know how hard Florida or any other state will be hit by Matthew.

Florida Governor Rick Scott is not wasting any time in preparing his state for Matthew’s impact. Scott is dispatching emergency management officials throughout Florida’s Atlantic coast. The governor is pleading with residents of his state to take Hurricane Matthew seriously, saying the storm could produce heavy rain, wind, tornadoes, and beach erosion. Scott is also predicting extended power outages for the entire east coast of Florida once Matthew moves closer to the U.S. mainland.

A hurricane hitting the coast of Florida in 2004. [Image by Stephen Morton/Getty Images]

“If you are on Florida’s east coast , you should know today where you will go if you have to evacuate. If you are able to leave early and go now, before there is traffic, please go. No one should take any risks,” Scott said on Tuesday, as quoted by a CBS affiliate in Miami.

Hurricane Matthew evacuations could begin as early as Wednesday in Florida, depending on Matthew’s projected path after passing over Haiti. Feltgen expects the eye of Matthew to stay off the Florida coast, but he does believe parts of the state will receive hurricane-force winds. Meanwhile, Scott is aware that the storm’s path could change at any moment.

“We cannot rule out a direct hit,” Scott said on Tuesday. “Protecting life is our first priority.”

As of Tuesday afternoon, several of Florida’s coast-adjacent counties are already under either a tropical storm or hurricane warning in preparation for Matthew’s arrival, which appears to be inevitable.

In South Carolina, Governor Nikki Haley has already ordered the evacuation of residents in some of her state’s coastal areas. It’s possible that more than 1 million people in South Carolina will have to be evacuated as a result of Hurricane Matthew.

“This is not something that we want to play with,” Haley said. “The worst-case scenario is that you get stuck on the coast and have no place to go.”

Residents in North Carolina evacuating under threat of a tropical storm in 2014. [Image by Mark Wilson/Getty Images]

Starting around 3 p.m. on Tuesday, some highways and interstates in South Carolina began lane reversals to help expedite the evacuation , according to GreenvilleOnline.com . Haley is expecting South Carolina to get hit hard by Matthew this weekend and is urging residents to get out as soon as possible.

“I would love nothing more than to see this just suddenly take a right hand turn and head back out to sea, but as of right now, we’re looking at Friday night into Saturday being pretty brutal,” Haley said on Tuesday.

On Monday, North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory declared a state of emergency in 66 of his state’s 100 counties in preparation for the storm.

Hurricane Matthew, as of Tuesday afternoon, is moving north at a speed of 10 mph. Parts of Cuba and the Bahamas are currently under a hurricane warning, as Matthew appears poised to hit those island nations within the next 24 hours.

Where Matthew goes after that is uncertain, but it’s a virtual guarantee that the southeastern United States will feel the effects of the storm to some extent. That is why several states are preparing to evacuate residents or have already started to evacuate residents. Beyond getting out before it’s too late, the people in those states can only wait and watch to see what path Hurricane Matthew ultimately takes and hope for the best.

[Featured Image by NOAA/Getty Images]

Dez Bryant Injury: Receiver Has Hairline Fracture But Cowboys Remain Optimistic

Posted on by Bryan Zarpentine

Dez Bryant injured his knee during Sunday’s win over the Chicago Bears, and after undergoing an MRI on Wednesday, the Dallas Cowboys have a diagnosis for their star wide receiver. According to sources who spoke to ESPN , Bryant has a hairline fracture in his right tibia. How long Bryant will be out remains unclear, but the Cowboys appear to be optimistic and haven’t even ruled out the possibility of having Bryant available Sunday when the Cowboys play the San Francisco 49ers.

Dallas head coach Jason Garrett addressed the media on Wednesday, informing them that Bryant had a hairline fracture in his knee. Garrett said that although the injured Bryant did not practice on Wednesday, he did work out, leaving the door open for him to play on Sunday. However, Garrett also admitted it’s possible that Bryant will have to miss up to three weeks due to the injury.

“What I’ve been told that it is a day-to-day, week-to-week injury,” Garrett said. “We’ve had players with this kind of injury, who missed no time in the past and other players who have missed up to a week, two (weeks) or more than that. We’ll take it day by day, and we’ll see how he does when he comes in (Thursday), see how he feels, and we’ll make our evaluations there as we go forward.”

Dallas Cowboys’ wide receiver Dez Bryant inactive during a game [Image by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images]

Bryant was injured on the second play of Sunday’s game against the Bears, as his leg was caught underneath Chicago’s Christian Jones, who was making a tackle on Bryant. He sat out the next six plays before returning and went on to play 52 of the team’s 68 offensive snaps.

The fact that Bryant played hurt for much of Sunday’s game would seem to bode well for him being able to return to action as soon as possible. Bryant caught three passes against the Bears for 40 yards, including a touchdown pass from rookie quarterback Dak Prescott.

Bryant being injured is nothing new for the Cowboys. As CBS Sports reminds us, Bryant missed time last season due to a broken bone in his foot. He was somewhat ineffective when he returned from the injury and was ultimately shut down late in the season because of lingering problems with his foot and a knee issue. Last year’s experience could make the Cowboys think twice about putting Bryant on the field before he’s fully recovered from his current injury.

At the same time, Dallas struggled last season while Bryant was either on the sidelines or playing hurt. The Cowboys have little depth at wide receiver behind Bryant, which is something for the team to consider when deciding whether to play Bryant while injured or keep him out until he’s fully healed.

Dallas Cowboys’ wide receiver Dez Bryant scoring his first touchdown of 2016. [Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images]

Outside of Bryant, veteran tight end Jason Witten and diminutive slot receiver Cole Beasley are the team’s only viable receiving threats. It’s also important to keep in mind that the Cowboys have a rookie quarterback in Prescott, who has just three career starts under his belt.

However, Prescott is yet to develop much chemistry with Bryant and appears confident that he can lead the Cowboys with or without their star wide receiver on the field.

“I don’t really pay attention to who I’m throwing to,” says Prescott. “I just go through my reads, whoever’s open gets the ball. So I mean hope gets well, is well really, really soon, but it doesn’t really affect this offense.”

Prescott may be naive to say this, although the Cowboys could risk sitting Bryant this weekend against a porous San Francisco defense. After shutting out the Los Angeles Rams in Week 1, the 49ers have given up a total of 83 points over the past two weeks, which should give Dallas some hope that they can move the ball against San Francisco, even with an injured Bryant on the sidelines.

The Inquisitr is predicting a Dallas win this weekend; however, the injury to Bryant makes that far less of a certainty. Dallas also has a rather difficult schedule beyond Sunday’s clash with the 49ers, with upcoming games against the Bengals, Packers, and Eagles over the next month.

The Cowboys will undoubtedly need Bryant to be healthy and on the field if they expect to win any of those games. The team’s best bet may be to sit Bryant on Sunday and take their chances against the 49ers without him, hoping that a healthy Bryant will be ready to return to the field the following week. If Bryant’s injury forces him to miss multiple games, or he suffers a more serious injury while trying to play hurt, Dallas could be in big trouble this season.

[Featured Image by Tom Pennington/Getty Images]

Howard Dean Stands By Suspicion Of Trump’s Possible Cocaine Use

Posted on by Bryan Zarpentine

Throughout the 2016 Presidential race, we’ve all seen things we never thought we’d see in American politics, and now we can add a Presidential candidate being suspected of using cocaine because of his behavior during a debate to that list. During Monday’s debate, former Vermont Governor, one time Presidential candidate, and current Democratic National Committee chair Howard Dean posed a question via Twitter about the possibility of Donald Trump being a cocaine user because of all the sniffing he was doing throughout the night.

The Internet all but exploded , as documented by my colleague Sahash Khanal. Then on Tuesday, Dean stood by his tweet and proceeded to double down on his controversial tweet. Of course, doubling down on a controversial statement is straight out of Trump’s playbook, giving the situation at least a tinge of irony.

Despite Trump’s insistence that he wasn’t sniffing, going so far as to blame poor microphones in the debate hall, the video speaks for itself.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1PwFr3zGVvQ

As documented by The Hollywood Reporter , among other sources, Dean appeared on MSNBC with Kate Snow on Tuesday to discuss his now infamous tweet .

“You can’t make a diagnosis over the television. I would never do that,” Dean said. “(Sniffing) is actually a signature of people who use cocaine. I’m not suggesting that Trump does.”

When Snow insisted that Dean was calling Trump a cocaine user, the former Governor of Vermont said that he didn’t mean to imply that Trump was a cocaine user, only that such a scenario should be considered.

“He sniffs during the presentation, which is something that (cocaine) users do. He also has grandiosity, which is something that accompanies that problem. He has delusions. I’m not talking about being crazy. For example, when he told everybody he was very smart not to pay taxes, and then denied he said it after he said it in front of 100 million people. It’s not that he’s delusory about it. It’s that he thinks somehow he’s not going to get caught. That is delusional. He has trouble with pressured speech. He interrupted, as you pointed out, Hillary Clinton 29 times. He couldn’t keep himself together. So look, do I think at 70 years old he has a cocaine habit? Probably not, but it’s something that I think would be interesting to ask him to see if he ever had a problem with that.”

Donald Trump at the first Presidential debate. [Image by Drew Angerer/Getty Images]

Of course, as Yahoo reminds us, Howard Dean and his wife are both physicians who ran a family medical practice together for 10 years. This gives Dean some level of credibility when it comes to noticing signs of drug use, even if he made sure to mention multiple times during his interview with Snow that he would never make a diagnosis based on something he saw on television.

Nevertheless, Dean continued to tell Snow with complete sincerity that he found Trump’s behavior during the debate suspicious.

“I just struck by the sniffing and then by his behavior, which all sort of came together, these four symptoms. Do I think he has a cocaine habit? I think it’s unlikely that you could mount a Presidential campaign at 70 years old with a cocaine habit. But it was pretty striking.”

Howard Dean at the Democratic Convention [Image by Joe Raedle/Getty Images]

When given the chance, Dean said he would not apologize for the tweet, nor would he be deleting it. Dean says he merely brought it up as a possible reason for why Trump is so “unstable,” as he put it.

“I raised the question last night,” Dean told Snow. “I don’t think this is a ridiculous idea. Something funny was going on with Trump last night. Do I think it’s cocaine? Probably not.”

For Trump, Dean’s suggestion may feel like a taste of his own medicine from the physician turned politician. Trump’s campaign has dedicated a great deal of energy in recent weeks to questioning the health of Hillary Clinton, who recently had a bout with pneumonia. Dean is now doing something similar to Trump, although perhaps in a more subtle way.

Dean also took some time during his interview with Snow to point out that Clinton has been far more transparent with her health record than Trump has been with his medical history. In that sense, Dean’s tweet on Monday night does make it seem like he’s turning the tables on Trump. Whether he did that on purpose with his controversial tweet is unclear. But Dean certainly has people talking about Trump possibly being a cocaine user, and the DNC chair is not backing down from what he said.

[Featured Image by Win McNamee/Getty Images]

Sam Allardyce Out As England Soccer Manager After Undercover Investigation Reveals Corruption

Posted on by Bryan Zarpentine

Sam Allardyce is no longer the manager of the English National Soccer Team following an undercover investigation by the Daily Telegraph , a London-based newspaper. Undercover journalists from the Daily Telegraph posed as businessmen and secretly videotaped Allardyce, as he told them how to get around rules enforced by the English Football Association that prohibit the third-party ownership of players, among a wide variety of other controversial comments.

The Daily Mail in England is reporting that Allardyce will resign after just 67 days in charge of England’s national team as a result of the undercover investigation. There are conflicting reports that he has been fired. However, either way, it appears Allardyce is no longer the England manager.

The Daily Telegraph reporters had been investigating Allardyce for 10 months, long before he took over as manager of the England National Team in July. While speaking with the undercover reporters, Allardyce used his standing as the England manager, several weeks after getting the job, to negotiate a deal to advise parties in Singapore and Hong Kong on how to circumvent rules that prohibit player ownership in exchange for £400,000, which is equivalent to roughly $520,000.

A report from the Times , another British newspaper, indicates that English soccer chairman Greg Clarke and chief executive Martin Glenn held an emergency meeting Tuesday morning to discuss the situation. The two reportedly summoned Allardyce to meet with them in London.

“I got a call related to the issue and I want the facts and I will look into it — it is not appropriate to pre-judge the issue. With things like this you have to take a deep breath and have all the facts and hear everything from everyone,” Clarke told the Times . “Then you can make a judgement about what to do and that’s what we will do. Natural justice requires us to get the bottom of these issues before we make any decision.”

The Daily Mail reports that Allardyce met with Clarke and Glenn on Tuesday, accompanied by advisor Mark Curtis. It is unclear whether Allardyce was given the option to resign following that meeting or whether he has been fired.

Sam Allardyce addresses the media before his first game as England manager. [Image by Christopher Lee/Getty Images]

As explained by ESPNFC , third-party ownership of soccer players refers to investors “purchasing” a player early in his career for the purpose of receiving a portion of that player’s transfer fee later in his career. Essentially, the investor is betting on a player becoming a star and eventually being purchased by another club for tens of millions of dollars, giving the investor a portion of the selling price and a substantial return on their investment.

The more times a player is sold to a new club, the more opportunity there is for the investor to receive a payout. England banned third-party ownership in 2008, although it remains a common practice in South America. Soccer’s governing body, FIFA, also banned it in 2015.

In the undercover video taken by The Daily Telegraph ‘s investigators, Allardyce said he could show the disguised investigators how to get around the rules that prohibit third-party ownership, telling them it was “not a problem.” He also called the laws against it “ridiculous.”

Allardyce has only been in charge of the England National Team for one game, a 1-0 win for England over Slovakia on September 4 in a qualifying match for the 2018 World Cup. Allardyce took over the England job from Roy Hodgson in July. England were perpetual disappointments under Hodgson, taking just one point from three matches during the group stage of the 2014 World Cup in Brazil and then getting upset by Iceland in the second round of the 2016 European Championships.

Allardyce seemed like a good bet for the England job after managing several English clubs, most recently Sunderland last season after four years with West Ham United. However, it appears that Big Sam’s time with England will be brief, but at the same time memorable for its sudden and disastrous conclusion.

England manager Sam Allardyce at a press conference. [Image by Chris Brunskill/Getty Images)

In addition to discussing ways to get around rules about third-party ownership, the undercover video also recorded Allardyce criticizing and poking fun at Hodgson and sharing his take on what went wrong for England at the 2016 Euros.

Gareth Southgate, who currently manages England’s Under 21 national team, is expected to take over for Allardyce, at least temporarily. England hosts Malta on October 8 and then plays away to Slovenia on October 11 in a pair of qualifying matches for the 2018 World Cup.

Whether or not Southgate could be Allardyce’s permanent replacement as the England manager remains to be seen. He has been the manager of the England Under 21 national team since 2013, but the English Football Association may be looking for someone with more experience or a manager with more name recognition in world soccer.

England already had a rather lengthy search before deciding on Allardyce to be its next manager, and the England Football Association may have to turn around and do the same thing all over again. That is on top of the corruption issues brought to light by The Daily Telegraph ‘s investigation of Allardyce. The videotape of Allardyce could potentially open a Pandora’s Box of issues for soccer in England. It already appears to have left England without Allardyce as its manager.

[Featured Image by Christopher Lee/Getty Images]

Patriots Quarterback Jacoby Brissett Suffers Sprained Thumb In First NFL Start

Posted on by Bryan Zarpentine

While making his first career NFL start on Thursday night, New England Patriots quarterback Jacoby Brissett suffered a sprained thumb. Brissett did not leave Thursday’s win over the Houston Texans, as the Inquisitr previously reported, the injury did not prevent Brissett and the Patriots from crushing the Texans 27-0. However, USA Today is one of several outlets reporting that Brissett has a torn ligament in his right thumb and will require surgery, citing WEEI Radio in Boston.

This is the second straight game that New England’s starting quarterback suffered an injury, creating uncertainty as to who will start for the Patriots next week. Jimmy Garoppolo started the first two weeks of the season, but he suffered a shoulder injury during a Week 2 win over the Miami Dolphins, prompting the Patriots to finish the game with Brissett, a rookie from N.C. State, playing quarterback.

With Garoppolo unable to make it back in time for Thursday’s showdown with the Texans, Brissett made his first NFL start. Against Houston, Brissett completed 11 of 19 passes for 103 yards, as the Patriots chose to lean on running back LeGarrette Blount, who carried the ball 24 times for 105 yards and two touchdowns. Brissett also made an impact as a runner, rushing eight times for 48 yards and a touchdown.

Of course, Garoppolo and Brissett are merely placeholders for Tom Brady, who is suspended for the first four games of the season because of the “Deflategate” scandal. New England planned on Garoppolo starting the first four games of the season before turning the reins back over to Brady, but injuries to both Garoppolo and Brissett have thrown the Patriots for a loop.

Patriots’ quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo after suffering a shoulder injury. [Image by Jim Rogash/Getty Images]

The status of both Garoppolo and Brissett for Week 4 against the Buffalo Bills, the last game the Patriots will be without Brady, is uncertain at this time. If the report that Brissett will need surgery is true, he could be on the shelf for quite a while, and it’s possible that his rookie season could be over. There is also uncertainty over how quickly Garoppolo is recovering from the sprained AC joint in his right shoulder that he suffered in Week 2.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter spoke with a source inside the Patriots’ organization who told him that the team would re-evaluate their quarterback situation on Monday. This leaves us all weekend to speculate on what direction the Patriots may go and who may start for them in Week 4 against the Bills.

If Garoppolo is deemed healthy between now and next weekend, he’s likely to be the starter in Week 4. Yet, even if that’s the case, the Patriots may be looking to sign a backup quarterback. Brissett could end up being placed on injured reserve, as he won’t be the starter or backup once Brady returns, even if he’s healthy.

The Patriots were actually in the same position after Garoppolo got hurt in Week 2. However, with a quick turnaround before Thursday’s game, New England chose not to sign a quarterback and instead have wide receiver Julian Edelman, who played quarterback in college, serve as Brissett’s backup against the Texans. Had his thumb injury forced Brissett to the sidelines during Thursday’s game, Edelman would have been New England’s quarterback.

Patriots’ wide receiver Julian Edelman throwing a pass on a trick play. [Image by Jared Wickerham/Getty Images]

However, with more than a week until their next game, the Patriots will almost certainly look at the quarterbacks available on the free-agent market, especially since there’s no guarantee that Garoppolo will be ready to start in Week 4 or even be healthy enough to serve as Brady’s backup starting in Week 5.

Michael Vick may be the most prominent name among active quarterbacks who are currently unemployed. Matt Flynn and Ryan Lindley are also options, as both spent part of the 2015 preseason with the Patriots and have at least some familiarity with the organization. Down on the list are the likes of T.J. Yates, Tarvaris Jackson, and Josh Freeman. Of course, there’s a chance any of these quarterbacks would be released by the Patriots as soon as Brady is back from suspension, which could make them think twice before signing with the Patriots.

The Inquisitr mentioned last week that Peyton Manning could come out of retirement and sign with the Patriots. Admittedly, that idea sounds a bit far-fetched, as does any talk of Tim Tebow signing with the Patriots, especially since Tebow is now pursuing a baseball career with the New York Mets.

Of course, with Brady suspended for one more game, Brissett likely ruled out for the foreseeable future, and Garoppolo’s status a mystery, the Patriots will have to find someone to play quarterback. Who that quarterback ends up being is anybody’s guess at this point. But with Garoppolo and Brissett both hurt, the Patriots have no choice but to go to Plan D at quarterback. It should be fascinating to see who the Patriots end up signing to be their last-resort option amidst a growing sea of injured and suspended quarterbacks.

[Featured Image by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images]

Josh Norman To Shadow Odell Beckham Jr. In Highly Anticipated NFL Matchup

Posted on by Bryan Zarpentine

The Washington Redskins will have cornerback Josh Norman shadowing New York Giants’ wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. when the two NFC East rivals meet on Sunday. ESPN ‘s Britt McHenry reported on Wednesday, citing a source with the Redskins, that the team has decided to have Norman cover Beckham during Sunday’s Week 3 game between Washington and New York. The news will no doubt be music to the ears of NFL fans, as Norman vs. Beckham has one of the most fierce one-on-one rivalries in the league.

The Washington coaching staff was somewhat concerned about how the decision would affect the team’s other starting cornerback, Bashaud Breeland, who was tasked with defending the opposing team’s top wide receiver the first two weeks of the season. However, the Redskins ultimately decided to let Norman, who signed a 5-year, $75 million contract with the team before the season, to match up against Beckham, who’s regarded by most to be among the best wide receivers in the NFL.

According to McHenry’s source, the lone caveat to the Norman vs. Beckham matchup is that Norman will not follow Beckham into the slot. If the Giants plan on using a multitude of formations and moving Beckham around the field, he may not always be paired up with Norman. Nevertheless, fans should expect to see Norman vs. Beckham quite often on Sunday.

Josh Norman defends Odell Beckham Jr. during a 2015 NFL game between the Giants and Panthers. [Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images]

Lorenzo Reyes of USAToday did a great job of breaking down the history between Norman and Beckham , explaining why there is such bad blood between the two heading into Sunday. The two have not been engaged in a feud for all that long, but the antics between the two has been incredibly fierce.

Things started last December when Norman was with the Carolina Panthers. In a Week 15 matchup between the Panthers and Giants, Norman was matched up against Beckham, and the two became embroiled in a personal matchup against the other that at times superseded the game between the two teams. Norman and Beckham were shoving, clawing, and punching one another all game.

Along the way, Norman received two personal foul penalties, while Beckham received three, including one for a helmet-to-helmet hit on Norman that provoked a scuffle between the two sides. Video of that hit can be seen below.

Beckham finished that game with six catches for 76 yards and one touchdown. However, he also dropped a pass on what would have surely been a touchdown, and at times appeared mentally rattled by Norman, who did a great job of containing Beckham. Afterward, Norman was not shy about pointing out Beckham’s inexcusable behavior that many thought warranted an ejection from the game.

“I hope I pulled back the mask on who this guy really is,” Norman said of Beckham. “He’s got the maturity of a little kid.”

The Norman vs. Beckham feud did not calm down during the offseason. In March, Norman appeared on ESPN, and when showed a picture of Beckham, responded by merely saying “Okay.” Beckham must have been watching, as he soon sent out the following tweet that was subtly directed at Norman:

Norman, perhaps upset at Beckham’s passive-aggressive tweet, had a more direct response to the New York wide out.

The two continued to exchange words through the media all summer, especially when Norman made the move to Washington, meaning he was on a team that would play Beckham and the Giants twice per season. Things then started to heat up again earlier this month when Norman spoke about Beckham at length with the Charlotte Observer.

“Now don’t get me wrong, he’s a good player or whatever, but he’s not what he thinks he is. If you hit guys like that, if you completely jam them and shake them up, they can’t relate to that. So they start making excuses like, ‘Oh, he touched me.’ They don’t know how to respond because they never got hit like that. So me, every time I see him, I’m going to hit him in the mouth. I don’t care. Until he stops crying.”

Those appear to be fighting words, and perhaps even a guarantee that Norman will shut down Beckham on the field the next time the two see each other.

Odell Beckham Jr. catching a touchdown. [Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images]

Lucky for NFL fans, the two are set to see each other again this weekend. On top of that, following Norman’s move to Washington, he and Beckham are now on teams that have long been division rivals and figure to be competing for the NFC East division crown this season. Not that it needed it, but this should add even more fuel to the Norman-Beckham fire.

Both players are no doubt looking forward to proving themselves against the other on the field after an offseason of chatter. Now that Washington has announced that Norman will indeed be tasked with defending Beckham on Sunday, we can all look forward to seeing the two renew their heated rivalry in what should be an entertaining and potentially explosive matchup.

[Featured Image by Michael Reaves/Getty Images]

Jay Cutler’s Thumb Injury Is Only A Sprain And Won’t Require Surgery

Posted on by Bryan Zarpentine

Jay Cutler and the Chicago Bears have received some good news in regard to the thumb injury that forced Cutler to leave the game during Monday night’s loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. The Chicago Tribune reported Tuesday afternoon that Cutler’s injury is merely a sprain of the thumb on his throwing hand and not anything more serious.

Bears’ head coach John Fox did not go into specifics about Cutler’s injury or his status for the team’s Week 3 game against the Dallas Cowboys, but he did say that Cutler will not need surgery for the injury, at least right now. However, Fox did not rule out surgery for Cutler at some point.

Following Monday’s loss to the Eagles, ESPN reported that Cutler was concerned about the injury . Cutler admitted that he aggravated the injury early in the third quarter, but stayed in the game even though it affected his ability to grip the ball. It wasn’t until late in the third quarter that Cutler left the game to have his injured thumb examined in the locker room.

Jay Cutler getting sacked by Destiny Vaeao. [Image by Stacy Revere/Getty Images]

Before leaving the game, Cutler completed 12 of his 17 passes for 157 yards. However, Cutler also made two critical turnovers in the game. Early in the third quarter, Cutler fumbled the ball on a sack by Philadelphia’s Destiny Vaeao, the play on which Cutler says he aggravated his thumb. Later in the quarter, Cutler threw an interception to Eagles’ linebacker Nigel Bradham. Those two turnovers were too much for the Bears to overcome in their 29-14 loss to the Eagles.

The interception Cutler threw to Bradham was his final play before returning to the locker room to have his thumb injury examined. However, before making it to the locker room, Cutler was confronted on the sidelines by teammate Pernell McPhee. As you can tell by the clip below, via Chicago Sports New , McPhee was not pleased with Cutler’s performance and had a few heated words for the quarterback. Only accomplished lip readers will know for sure what McPhee said to Cutler.

Cutler said after the game that he wasn’t bothered by McPhee’s outburst .

“He’s a passionate guy. Everyone has a lot invested into this, and he does as well. No one likes to lose. No one likes to lose in that fashion. He’s upset. I’m upset. Everyone in that locker room is upset right now, Cutler said. “But, the good thing is that we have a lot of good guys in there, and we have a bunch of good coaches, and we have 14 games left.”

McPhee, who is currently on the physically unable to perform list, was not available to the media afterward, so it’s unknown whether he knew that Cutler’s thumb was already bothering him at the time of the interception.

Cutler was replaced in the game by backup quarterback Brian Hoyer, who completed nine of his 12 passes for 78 yards. However, he was unable to lead the Bears on a comeback after Cutler departed due to injury. Fox praised Hoyer for his performance Monday night and appears to be comfortable with the veteran quarterback if he needs to start this week in place of the injured Cutler.

Fox says the Bears will take things one day at a time in regard to who plays quarterback Sunday against the Cowboys. Reps with the first-team offense are likely to be at least split between Cutler and Hoyer this week as there is no specific timetable for Cutler’s return from his thumb injury. Cutler could feel fine this weekend and start against the Cowboys, or he could need a few weeks for the thumb to heal.

Jay Cutler watching the Bears play a preseason game. [Image by Stacy Revere/Getty Images]

It may actually behoove the Bears to sit Cutler for a week or two, using his injury as an excuse to take him off the field, even if he feels healthy enough to play. Cutler has been turnover prone throughout his career and playing with even a minor thumb injury is only going to make it harder for him to take care of the football.

The Bears also face the possibility of starting the 2016 season 0-3 if they lose Sunday to the Cowboys. Coming off a rough game Monday night with his thumb bothering him, Cutler may not be Chicago’s best option to get a win on Sunday. While it’s ultimately good news that Cutler is likely to be back sooner rather than later from his thumb injury, it doesn’t mean he should face Dallas in Week 3.

[Featured Image by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images]

Megan Rapinoe Kneels Again During National Anthem Before U.S. Soccer Match

Posted on by Bryan Zarpentine

Soccer player Megan Rapinoe took a knee during the national anthem Sunday night in Atlanta prior to the U.S. Women’s National Team’s game against the Netherlands. It was the second time in less than a week that Rapinoe chose not to stand for the anthem prior to representing her country for a national team match.

Rapinoe previously took a knee during the national anthem while playing for her club team, the Seattle Reign. However, Fox Sports notes that Rapinoe chose to stand side by side with her teammates prior to Seattle’s game on September 11. After Rapinoe chose to stand for the September 11 game, there was a great deal of intrigue regarding whether or not Rapinoe would stand or kneel while wearing the National Team jersey.

Those questions were answered last Thursday when Rapinoe took a knee during the anthem before the U.S. Women played a friendly match against Thailand. Rapinoe did not start that game but appeared as a substitute in the second half. Almost immediately after the game, U.S. Soccer issued a statement in response to Rapinoe electing to kneel for the anthem.

“Representing your country is a privilege and honor for any player or coach that is associated with U.S. Soccer’s National Teams. Therefore, our national anthem has particular significance for U.S. Soccer. In front of national and often global audiences, the playing of our national anthem is an opportunity for our Men’s and Women’s National Team players and coaches to reflect upon the liberties and freedom we all appreciate in this country. As part of the privilege to represent your country, we have an expectation that our players and coaches will stand and honor the flag while the national anthem is played.”

However, outside of that statement, there appeared to be no action levied against Rapinoe for not standing for the anthem last Thursday. A U.S. Soccer representative confirmed to ESPN prior to Sunday’s game that Rapinoe received no discipline for kneeling on Thursday. That spokesperson added that Rapinoe could be punished if she continued to kneel during the anthem.

Megan Rapinoe plays against the Netherlands. [Image by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images]

As she knelt for the anthem on Sunday in Atlanta, Rapinoe says she noticed a mixed reaction from fans.

“Obviously there were boos tonight, boos and cheers tonight. I totally respect that,” Rapinoe said. “People feel a certain way, and I want to be respected for the way that I feel. I think that’s their right to do that. I totally understand that. That said, there’s some people that support me.”

Rapinoe kneeling for the anthem on Sunday did not prevent her from playing in the game. As was the case last Thursday, Rapinoe came on as a sub in the second half. Rapinoe even played a role in the team’s third goal as the U.S. Women beat the Netherlands 3-1.

It now remains to be seen whether U.S. Soccer will now step in and punish Rapinoe after declining to stand on Sunday. The U.S. Women have a pair of games against Switzerland scheduled for October 19 and 23, so there is no rush in U.S. making a decision about any potential punishment for Rapinoe.

Of course, with no competitive matches on the horizon for Rapinoe and the National Team, head coach Jill Ellis may use those games to bring in younger players. This means there’s no guarantee Rapinoe, a veteran member of the national team, will be part of the team for those matches, regardless of how U.S. Soccer feels about Rapinoe kneeling for the anthem for the second time. Rapinoe will be in action Sunday with her club team in a game that will be nationally televised.

Megan Rapinoe kneeling prior to a U.S. Women’s National Team game against Thailand. [Image by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images]

Rapinoe does not appear too concerned about any possible punishment from U.S. Soccer. Instead, Rapinoe simply wants to continue the conversation started by San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick several weeks ago.

“I think just the conversation at large is really kind of picking up steam,” Rapinoe says. “I think more people are engaged in the issues I want to talk about.”

Rapinoe also says she is very much focused on the conversation and has no plans to stop kneeling for the anthem.

“I think in a large way it’s ‘OK, you’ve knelt, you’ve made your point.’ But I don’t necessarily feel like that,” Rapinoe says. “I don’t know what that looks like. Do I kneel forever? I don’t know, probably not. But I think until I can feel like I’m being more effective in other ways, then this seems appropriate to me.”

[Featured Image by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images]

Michael Schumacher’s Lawyer Insists Racing Legend ‘Cannot Walk’

Posted on by Bryan Zarpentine

The lawyer for legendary race car driver Michael Schumacher has told a German court that a magazine’s report that Schumacher is able to walk again following his 2013 skiing accident is untrue. Schumacher’s family is suing Die Bunte magazine, a German publication that covers celebrity gossip, among other subjects, for publishing an article in December 2015 claiming that Schumacher was now capable of walking with assistance from his therapists.

The article in Die Bunte quoted an unnamed friend of Schumacher who said the racing legend was able to take “a couple of steps.” A story in the Guardian makes mention of the statement by the unnamed friend that has prompted the lawsuit from Schumacher’s family.

“Michael is very thin,” the friend said about Schumacher in the Die Bunte article. “But he can once again walk a little with the help of his therapists. He manages to make a couple of steps. And he can also raise an arm.”

Michael Schumacher driving during a practice round in 2012. [Image by Paul Gilham/Getty Images]

Schumacher suffered serious injuries in a skiing accident while on vacation with his wife and kids in the French Alps in December 2013. The Daily Mail recalls that Schumacher had to be placed in a medically-induced coma , where he remained for six months. Following the accident, Schumacher had to undergo two brain surgeries. Schumacher was eventually transferred to a hospital in Switzerland, and he now has a full-time medical staff overseeing his care at his home in Switzerland.

Schumacher’s lawyer, Felix Damm, is representing his family in the lawsuit that claims that the Die Bunte article is false. Schumacher’s family is also asking for privacy in the matter as they appear to have gone to great lengths to keep the public from learning too much about Schumacher’s state of health. Damm explained to CNN why he was in court on behalf of Schumacher’s family .

“I told the court on Friday that the alleged claim that Michael Schumacher can walk again is false and simply not true,” Damm told CNN. “Michael cannot even stand with the help of his special therapists. I cannot make any other comments about Michael’s health situation.”

Soon after the article in question was published in December, Schumacher’s manager, Sabine Kehm, refuted the claim that Schumacher had regained the ability to walk.

“Unfortunately, we are forced by a recent press report to clarify that the assertion that Michael could move again is not true,” Kehm said. “Such speculation is irresponsible because given the seriousness of his injuries, his privacy is very important for Michael. Unfortunately they also give false hopes to many involved people.”

Two German football teams showing support for Michael Schumacher at a match in July 2016. [Image by Andreas Rentz/Getty Images]

Last month, Luca Cordero di Montezemolo, who is a former chairman of Ferrari, which was Schumacher’s racing team for 11 years, said that Schumacher was responding positively to treatment. He also said that reports indicating Schumacher’s condition was deteriorating were not true.

“I’m very pleased to know that he is reacting,” Montezemolo told Christian publication, Ecumenical News. “I know how strong he is. I’m sure that thanks to his determination; which will be crucial, he will come out from this very, very difficult situation.”

What exactly Schumacher’s condition is today is known only to those closest to him. Damm was forced to give details about Schumacher’s current state to the court, but the Schumacher family wants to keep his status private. A verdict in the Schumacher’s lawsuit against Die Bunte is expected next month. The publication has declined to comment on the lawsuit.

Prior to the accident, Schumacher was one of the most renowned race car drivers in the history of the sport. Between 1994 and 2004, Schumacher won seven Formula 1 world titles. He retired from the sport in 2006, only to make a comeback in 2010. Schumacher retired from racing for good in 2012, the year before his tragic accident.

[Featured Image by Clive Mason/Getty Images]

Mark Cuban Offers Donald Trump $10 Million For Four-Hour Interview

Posted on by Bryan Zarpentine

Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban has offered Donald Trump $10 million, and all Cuban wants is to sit down and talk with Trump for a few hours. In a series of tweets Cuban made on Friday, he offered to donate $10 million to the charity of Trump’s choice if the Republican nominee for president allowed Cuban to interview him for four hours.

As he mentions in his initial tweet to Trump, Cuban is interested in quizzing the Republican nominee on his policies. Cuban has long been a critic of Trump’s policies and his aspirations to become president.

In his next two tweets to Trump, Cuban lays down more of the ground rules for his proposed interview, as Cuban seems intent on trying to get Trump to stick to the issues and avoid any political mudslinging aimed at Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton.

As CNN points out, this last stipulation would not allow Trump to have any of his aides or advisors in the interview room with him to help him answer Cuban’s questions. Such a setup would almost be akin to a presidential debate, except Trump would only have the moderator, in this case Cuban, to speak to, with no other candidates to attack.

After asking Trump if the two have a deal, Mark Cuban then offers Trump the opportunity to keep the $10 million for himself if he so desires rather than having Cuban donate money to a charity of Trump’s choice.

This is certainly an interesting tactic by Cuban to entice Trump to accept the invitation. On one hand, Trump could be seen as a little selfish if he deprived a charity of Cuban’s $10 million and chose to keep the money for himself. However, Trump could take Cuban’s $10 million and donate it directly to his campaign.

In essence, Cuban would be making a $10 million contribution to Trump’s campaign, which could be a way for Trump to embarrass Cuban, who, as mentioned earlier, has been a critic of the Republican nominee throughout the campaign.

Of course, as the Inquisitr shared at the end of July, Cuban has officially endorsed Hillary Clinton for president. Mr. Trump would no doubt enjoy using $10 million from someone who endorsed Clinton to help fund his campaign.

Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban on stage with presidential nominee Hillary Clinton. [Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images]

Cuban then chooses to quote Trump back to himself in his fifth and final tweet directed at the Republican nominee, perhaps in an effort by Cuban to get under his skin and increase the chances of Trump accepting the invitation.

Cuban’s Twitter proposal to Trump was not the only interaction between the two on Thursday. In an article published by Fox Business , Trump responded to Cuban’s criticism of his economic plan. While appearing on Neil Cavuto’s Fox Business show, Cavuto: Coast to Coast , Cuban attacked Trump.

“I have my Trump hedge on. In the event Donald wins, I have no doubt in my mind that the market tanks. And so, I literally have put on more than 100% hedge,” Cuban explained.

Trump, as one would expect, had no problem responding to Cuban’s criticism.

“Well, I know Mark and, you know, the problem with Mark is he’s not smart enough to understand what we’re doing, he’s really not smart enough in my opinion to really understand what’s going on,” Trump told Maria Bartiromo of the Fox Business Network. “Explain to Mark, we have $20 trillion in debt, we have high taxes in this country, very high taxes.”

Presidential nominee Donald Trump giving a speech at the Economic Club in New York. [Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images]

If you think about it, Mark Cuban and Donald Trump appear to have a lot to discuss with one another. Instead of sending insults at one another through the media, perhaps it would be best to lock them in a room together for four hours and have them hash out their differences one on one, the way Cuban has proposed.

As of 4 p.m. on Friday, Trump had not responded to Cuban’s interview invitation, at least not via Twitter. However, one would expect a response from Trump at some point. No matter how you feel about each individual, Mark Cuban and Donald Trump in the same room for four hours seems like must-see TV.

[Featured Image by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images]