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Pat Leonard: Stop forcing Hall of Fame debate on good NFL players who deserve praise but not enshrinement
NEW YORK — Players’ legacies would be much easier to properly appreciate if people didn’t rush to anoint them as Hall of Famers the second they retired. Unfortunately, that is the depth to which the collective understanding and dialogue of the NFL game has descended, most recently after Julian Edelman called it quits on Monday. There is a rush to elevate players who have accomplished anything significant in professional football to Canton. And that premature declaration creates a backlash, which correctly produces detractors during a time when the player should be celebrated. Edelman was a tou...
New York Daily News
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Matt Calkins: Alex Rodriguez would go from loathed to loved in Seattle by bringing back the Sonics, but don't count on it
SEATTLE — We'll start with the fun part: The Fantasy. Multiple outlets have reported that a group involving former Mariner Alex Rodriguez is finalizing a deal to purchase the NBA's Minnesota Timberwolves for $1.5 billion. Anytime an NBA franchise sale takes place, the reaction in the 206 is, "Does this mean the Sonics might come back?" It's an irresistible reaction for a fan base still smarting from the team relocating to Oklahoma City in 2008, and one that was likely amplified by this quote from ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski: "Rodriguez's ties to Seattle and that city's desire for a return of an ...
The Seattle Times
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Scott Fowler: It’s time to trade Teddy Bridgewater, for his sake and the Panthers'
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — As the Carolina Panthers spin the quarterback carousel yet again, trying one more time to find a fix in the post-Cam era, one thing has become clear: It’s time to trade Teddy Bridgewater. For Bridgewater and for the Panthers, this is what easily makes the most sense. It will help get the Panthers a ticket out of salary-cap jail, because another team could absorb part of Bridgewater’s massive $63 million contract — which, after being signed with much hoopla only a year ago, now looks like a massive mistake. And it would help Bridgewater, who has to be hurt by the way the Panth...
The Charlotte Observer
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Giants overcome 4-run deficit against Reds, win with long ball early, small ball late
SAN FRANCISCO — When analyzing the Giants’ offensive struggles this season on Tuesday afternoon, catcher Buster Posey said the team’s strong performance in 60 games last year was a better indicator of the lineup’s potential than the lackluster output fans saw through 10 games this season. “Sometimes it only takes a game or two to really get everyone going,” Posey said. “Maybe tonight’s that night.” Tuesday was indeed that night. After scoring four runs or fewer in eight straight games, the Giants overcame a 4-0 first inning deficit and powered their way to a 7-6 victory over the Reds at Oracle...
The Mercury News
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Takeaways from the Miami Heat’s road loss to the Phoenix Suns
Five takeaways from the Miami Heat’s 106-86 loss to the Phoenix Suns (39-15) on Tuesday night at Phoenix Suns Arena. The Heat (28-26) are 1-1 on their four-game trip: The Suns, which entered with the NBA’s second-largest point differential this season, handed the Heat their most lopsided loss in nearly a month. Miami’s offense was mostly to blame. The 20-point defeat was the Heat’s most lopsided since a 27-point loss to the Indiana Pacers on March 19. The Heat’s offense struggled following a 34-point first quarter that pushed Miami to an eight-point lead entering the second quarter. Miami scor...
Miami Herald
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Five HRs give Tigers first series win in Houston since '13
HOUSTON – It was just one at-bat, but it felt like it caused a sea change for the Tigers Tuesday night and kickstarted their second straight win over the Astros, 8-2 at Minute Maid Park. And, in keeping with the theme of things these days, it involved Rule 5 rookie Akil Baddoo. A lot things involved Baddoo in this one. The Tigers trailed 1-0 and Astros starter Jake Odorizzi was cruising through two innings. He was baffling hitters with his not-overpowering four-seam fastball (91-93 mph). Baddoo, leading off the third, had a couple of ugly swings on the fastball himself. But he kept the at-bat ...
The Detroit News
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Danny Duffy turns in another gem and Greg Holland closes out Royals’ win over Angels
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Los Angeles Angels didn’t get many chances against Kansas City Royals veteran left-hander Danny Duffy, and by the end of the night they sure wished they’d done more with the shots they’d gotten. Duffy’s lone blemish came courtesy of the athletic freak Shohei Ohtani, who blasted a solo home run in the fifth. That homer snapped Duffy’s streak of 10 2/3 scoreless innings to start the season. One night after the Angels tagged the Royals for 10 runs, Duffy held them one run on eight hits and a solitary walk in six innings. The Angels scratched out one run against the bullpen,...
The Kansas City Star
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Cleveland Indians score twice in the 10th to beat the Chicago White Sox 2-0 in a classic pitchers’ duel between Shane Bieber and Lucas Giolito
Lucas Giolito and Shane Bieber provided a pitching clinic Tuesday at Guaranteed Rate Field in a thriller that went to extra innings. The Cleveland Indians scored twice in the 10th and held on to beat the Chicago White Sox 2-0. Roberto Pérez broke the scoreless tie with an RBI infield hit against Sox reliever Garrett Crochet. Pinch hitter Amed Rosario followed with an RBI double. The Sox went down in order against James Karinchak in the bottom of the 10th. Jake Lamb flied out to the warning track in right for the final out. It was a well-played game throughout, headlined by the pitching of Giol...
Chicago Tribune
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Hawks hold on to beat Raptors
It was closer than the Hawks would have liked, but they held on to beat the Raptors, 108-103, Tuesday in Tampa. Next up, the Hawks (30-25) will begin a three-game homestand Thursday vs. Milwaukee. Below are some takeaways from the win: 1. Malachi Flynn made five 3′s in the fourth quarter (four in the final two minutes) to narrow a comfortable win to a nail-biter. The Hawks had led by as much as 15 but couldn’t quite put the game away early, and that lead was trimmed to eight, 97-89, with 6:20 left in the fourth quarter. Flynn scored 15 points in the fourth (22 overall) and his final 3-pointer ...
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Goldschmidt, Arenado & Carpenter homer in Cardinals 14-3 romp vs. Washington
The fans stayed with him for the ride, fair or foul, as Matt Carpenter stepped from the batter’s box and watched the ball carve a second arch in the St. Louis night sky. The stadium, full to its limited capacity, went breathless for the 4 ½ seconds of the ball’s flight and watched as it maybe possible could be the hit Carpenter had been chasing for weeks – or just fade into another long strike, prolonging his slump. When it caromed off the foul pole, the crowd and Carpenter roared. His two-run homer earned him a third-inning curtain call from the 12,714 faithful who had to know one of his few ...
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
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