NFL
· Leonard Fournette to Tampa: The Jacksonville Jaguars decided to part ways with their former 4th overall pick in the 2017 draft by officially releasing him on Monday morning.
According to several sources, the team tried to trade him to receive some sort of value in return but could not find a buyer. It is very odd that a player who racked up over 1650 yards from scrimmage the year prior did not have any suitors. Terry Robiskie, the Jaguars running backs coach, claimed the organization parted ways with Fournette not because of his performance on the field, but because of the depth they already have at that position. Fournette has reached a 1-year deal with Tampa Bay with a base salary
of $2M. Maybe the Jaguars wanted to relieve themselves from the stress of trying to come up with a new deal for Fournette since he is due for one soon, but I believe they have accepted that a rebuilding phase is upon them. DE Yannick Ngakoue was traded to the Vikings, while S Ronnie Harrison was dealt to the Browns. Jacksonville's immediate future looks bleak, but good drafting and youth development can have the team competitive again in a few years.
· Alvin Kamara Speculation: The football world was shocked when reports came out that 3x Pro Bowler Alvin Kamara was looking to be traded by Saints executives. In a year where New Orleans is primed for a Super Bowl run, it was strange to hear that the team would look to move on from one of the top running backs in the league. Since those reports, the Saints have apparently made significant progress constructed a new contract with Kamara, but it will be intriguing to see how the story pans out in the coming weeks.
· Clowney to Tennessee: Jadeveon Clowney agreed to a 1-year contract with the Titans worth up to $15M this week. Tennessee dumped 5x Pro Bowler Jurrell Casey’s contract to the Broncos this offseason and finally got another star to replace him and contribute immediately to the defensive line. Clowney will look to dominate for a Titans team that was one win away from a Super Bowl appearance last season.
MLB
· Death of Tom Seaver: The baseball world mourns the death of former Mets Hall of Fame pitcher Tom Seaver. He died while fighting a battle with Lyme disease, dementia, and complications of COVID-19. Seaver is recognized as the greatest Mets player of all time and will be greatly missed by individuals across the world.
· Death of Lou Brock: Unfortunately, another member of the MLB Hall of Fame lost his life too early this week. Left fielder Lou Brock is most known for his 15 year stint with the Cardinals, where he was a 6x All-Star, 8x NL stolen base leader, and 2x World Series champion. The direct cause of Brock’s death is unknown, but he was diagnosed with cancer in 2017 and had his leg amputated recently due to diabetes.
NBA
· Steve Nash Return: A familiar face will come back to the NBA spotlight and coach the Brooklyn Nets for the upcoming 2021 season. After a stint working as a consultant for the Golden State Warriors, Nash will be front-and-center in his new role with the Nets. The 2x NBA MVP will look to guide the squad back to the playoffs with the help of superstars Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving. It is going to be interesting to see whether or not the Hall of Famer will have similar success in a new coaching role.
NHL
· Conference Finals: The Conference Finals for the 2020 Stanley Cup playoffs are officially set. In the Eastern Conference, the #2 seeded Tampa Bay Lightning will begin a best-of-seven series against the #6 seeded New York Islanders. Meanwhile, the #1 seeded Vegas Golden Knights will have the task of ousting the #3 seeded Dallas Stars to earn a spot in the Stanley Cup Finals. The Lightning are the most recent champions out of the four teams left, with their championship run happening all the way back in 2004.
World Football
· Messi Staying at Barca: I dedicated a whole section of last week’s blog post to Messi and the “end of an era” in Barcelona just for him to come back the following week and announce he’s staying in Spain for another season. Many (including myself) believe it will be his last year in Catalonia, but after the recent events, predicting a move a year before is WAY too difficult. Messi is a class-act and I believe he will give his all every match despite being
discontent with the club. After all, Barcelona (his club of 19 years) definitely has a special place in his heart.
· Chelsea’s Signings: Chelsea is having one of the better transfer windows in recent memory. The team has brought in quality players at all positions that will help Frank Lampard’s squad improve immediately. Hakim Ziyech, Timo Werner, Ben Chilwell, Thiago Silva, and Malang Sarr already inked a new deal with the London club prior to this week, while Kai Havertz joined on Friday. Edouard Mendy looks ready to pursue a deal with Chelsea as well in the coming days, satisfying the only position they have yet to address: goalkeeper.
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