Alex House Articles - Page 103

Atlanta Braves legend John Smoltz has already done everything there is to do in the baseball world, winning a World Series, National League Cy Young as a starting pitcher, becoming one of the premier closers in the game and then transitioning over to the broadcast booth as one of MLB’s top analysts. Now he has […]

Joey Votto’s 2023 season continues its disappointing start after the Cincinnati Reds revealed his rehab assignment with Triple-A Louisville Bats has ended after reaching its 20-day limit, according to The Athletic’s Trent Rosecrans. The 39-year-old will now head back to Cincinnati as he continues to work his way back from injury. Votto began the year […]

Milwaukee Brewers first baseman Luke Voit has always looked like a guy who knows how to party. Whether it be his gold chain or unbuttoned uniform, the 32-year-old always brings his personality and bravado to the ballpark. And it was on full display in the Brewers’ 11-2 trouncing of the San Diego Padres. Voit got […]

Well, that did not go exactly as this writer expected. The Brooklyn Nets were simply overmatched by the Philadelphia 76ers in Game 1 of the NBA Playoffs. Joel Embiid still did damage despite being double-teamed, James Harden turned back the clock with a barrage of step-back 3-pointers and Paul Reed introduced himself to much of […]

There did not need to be any more fuel added to the first-round NBA Playoffs showdown between No. 3 Sacramento Kings and No. 6 Golden State Warriors, with both teams each coming in with a chip on their shoulder. The Kings play-by-play announcer stirred the pot anyways when he said that the Dubs are not […]

Whenever a team fully breaks out and soars into championship contention, it is always fun to pinpoint the first embers of what is now an inferno ready to engulf the rest of the league. What was the turning point? What needed to happen for promise to morph into greatness? This 2022-23 season, more specifically the […]

Texas football has been focused on adding more premium talent at wide receiver this offseason. They have succeeded both in recruiting and via the transfer portal by securing ex-Georgia wideout AD Mitchell. With the WR room now getting a bit crowded, 4-star recruit and track standout Brenen Thompson has requested to enter the transfer portal, […]

New York Yankees stud, reigning American League MVP and arguably the face of baseball Aaron Judge might have just added another lucrative feather on his well-decorated cap. He could soon be the proud owner of the trademarks, “All Rise” and “Here Comes the Judge” after prevailing in a long and quite incredulous legal battle, via […]

The Brooklyn Nets are probably a more polarizing team than fans would expect. On one hand, they are a resilient group who has survived a roster upheaval and negative press to earn a spot in the NBA Playoffs. On the other side, people will have zero sympathy for an organization that made multiple concessions to […]

Although they may not be the top priorities in free agency or the NFL Draft, special teams players can be critical difference makers at the end of the season. The Pittsburgh Steelers, a team usually associated with fundamental soundness, just added a new potential starter to the unit. The Steelers claimed punter Braden Mann off […]

Miami Heat star wing Jimmy Butler was absent for shootaround on Friday for the same undisclosed personal reason that caused him to miss practice the day before. However, he is expected to be present for the win-or-go-home NBA Play-In Tournament game versus the Chicago Bulls, as reported by Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun […]

The Indianpolis Colts are leaving no stone upturned ahead of the 2023 NFL Draft, as they will be welcoming in Ohio State quarterback CJ Stroud for a top 30 visit Friday, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. It is a thorough, yet potentially futile decision given that the two-time Heisman finalist is expected to be […]

Some of the most magical runs in sports feature a vital source of motivation who may not even be an actual participant in the game. Think of Sister Jean with Loyola Chicago. Well, the Second City has a new off-court energizer in DeMar DeRozan’s nine-year-old daughter Diar. Though, scheduling conflicts might end her run of […]

With a quarterback situation that may not be crystal clear until after Training Camp hits, the San Francisco 49ers have to double down on defense going into next season. They are retaining depth on their defensive line by agreeing to re-sign veteran Kerry Hyder, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. The 31-year-old defensive end came […]

Jamie Foxx suffered a medical complication Tuesday that forced him to be hospitalized. He has since improved and is “already on his way to recovery,” according to his daughter, but his health status remains a concern for many. Foxx has had an impact on a variety of industries including acting, music, comedy and even sports. […]

When an era nears its end, there are a lot of obvious signs fans and pundits can point to while they prognosticate the complete collapse of a once imposing power. Injuries and age. Disgruntled superstars. Financially-conservative owners. There are a myriad of issues that could explain how ironclad job security turns into paper machete. But […]

The eye test versus analytics debate can get pretty ugly sometimes. Both camps ardently stick to their views, and it has become increasingly difficult to find common ground. The latest instance centers around the 2022-23 NBA rookie of the Year. One voter immediately put an end to Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero’s unanimous bid by […]

Every time Kevin Durant leaves an NBA team, he incurs the wrath and criticism of social media, and even analysts. There is the narrative that he cannot win as the unquestionable top guy of a franchise. That started when he famously joined the Golden State Warriors in 2016. But there was still plenty of chatter […]

Thursday’s regular season finale marked the first day that the historically dominant Boston Bruins had nothing to truly play for in 81 games. And in a potentially cruel twist of fate, franchise icon Patrice Bergeron was pulled from their road game versus the Montreal Canadiens out of precaution due to an upper-body injury, according to […]

In many ways, the Minnesota Timberwolves’ season has already been a disappointment due to all of the capital they have invested into taking a step forward in the Western Conference. A 42-40 record, lingering injury problems and a best case scenario of obtaining the No. 8 seed objectively means they have actually taken a step […]

After many months of speculation and some of the wildest developments in recent wrestling history, the prodigal son may be coming back to AEW. There are “tentative plans” for a CM Punk return, according to Fightful Select. Punk has been away from the company since he made critical comments about talent, including the EVPs- better […]

Winning tends to remedy bad optics. But losing always exacerbates them. The Minnesota Timberwolves were desperate for a victory versus the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA Play-In Tournament. Not just because it would mean formal entrance to the postseason, but so the team could regain an air of competence after a drama-filled last couple […]

When a superstar somehow manages to still leave jaws wide open, fans know they are truly witnessing something special. The greatness of Los Angeles Angels phenom Shohei Ohtani apparently knows no bounds after another superb start put him in rare company, so rare it has not been seen in over a century. “Dating back to […]

Trae Young has been the subject of controversy for a bit now, but no one is talking about any of that following the Atlanta Hawks’ 116-105 win over the Miami Heat in the NBA Play-In Tournament on Tuesday. TNT analyst and Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal wanted to hear the team’s battle cry, and the […]

When a franchise stays stagnant over multiple years, it is hard to deny that there may be a culture problem deeply embedded in the organization from top to bottom. After a fifth-straight losing season, fans have to accept that the Washington Wizards might fit this mold. However, they probably weren’t expecting to get validation from […]

There are many analysts and people with egg on their face right now, courtesy of a 116-105 Atlanta Hawks victory over the Miami Heat in the NBA Play-In Tournament. Unfortunately for them, guard Dejounte Murray kept the receipts and quickly came back to bask in the shame of 17 ESPN panelists who all picked Miami. […]

Whether it’s in the NBA Draft or by the Sacramento Kings and Wally Szczerbiak, Tyrese Haliburton has been underestimated quite a lot during his three-year career. Well, he should not be underrated again after a stellar first season with the Indiana Pacers that saw him make monumental history. “Tyrese Haliburton became the first player in […]

Jaylen Brown has had an objectively impressive season. He is an integral player on one of the best teams in the NBA in the Boston Celtics and has scored a career-high 26.6 points per game on a highly efficient 49 percent shooting from the floor. He is a good rebounder and reliable defender. Simply put, […]

The Big Ten is primed to enter its most lucrative and potentially most significant era in its existence. New massive media contracts and expansion additions have almost guaranteed that. Still, it is crucial to find the right person to usher in that new era. The conference hopes they have done just that after hiring former […]

Fans have been waiting for Jon Rahm to ascend into full superstardom since he joined the PGA Tour in 2016. After overtaking Brooks Koepka and holding off Phil Mickelson to win the 2023 Masters on Sunday, the Spaniard may have officially been crowned. At least Paige Spiranac thinks so. “Congrats Jon Rahm! You’re really good […]

The Miami Heat have been one Rubik’s Cube fans have not been able to solve during the 2022-23 NBA season. Their 44-38 record, along with having no winner streak greater than four games, suggests they are first-round fodder for the Milwaukee Bucks or Boston Celtics. But their trademark tenacity, experience and stalwart defense are all […]

The Green Bay Packers cannot afford to just wait out the stalemate with the New York Jets in their Aaron Rodgers trade talks. They are operating under the notion that their franchise legend will be headed to the Meadowlands at some point, and are thus moving forward to address the quarterback depth they will surely […]

The 2023 NFL Draft has the makings of a truly combustible element. The complexion of the board has already significantly changed after a huge trade between the Chicago Bears and Carolina Panthers in March. More mayhem could follow leading into the annual spectacle. In fact, the Arizona Cardinals might make sure of it. “At least […]

Jon Rahm had country in mind following his monumental Masters victory Sunday, as the magnitude of what he accomplished not just for himself, but all of Spain, quickly set in moments after he secured his first Green Jacket. The memory of a beloved fellow golfer and countryman likely gave Rahm some added motivation in his […]

At first glance of the 2023 Masters final leaderboard, one might guess that Sunday was fairly straightforward, as Jon Rahm seized the Green Jacket with a four-stroke win that was not in much doubt for most of the afternoon. But Phil Mickelson ensured that there were plenty of swerves and fireworks on the way to […]

Sunday was a day for Minnesota Timberwolves fans to forget. Unfortunately, the latest development in the Rudy Gobert-Kyle Anderson drama will make that very difficult to do with the NBA Play-In Tournament commencing Tuesday. After Gobert punched Anderson in the chest in their regular season finale against the New Orleans Pelicans, the two teammates had […]

There is a calm before the storm type of vibe heading into the 2023 NFL Draft. There seem to be several teams who are perfectly content sticking with a murky or questionable quarterback situation. Not even the potential availability of a former MVP in Lamar Jackson has caused their conservative plans to change. Each organization […]

Replacing players who had such a profound impact on the team’s on-court success and culture of the program is an unenviable task. UCLA basketball may not immediately find another Jaime Jaquez, but head coach Mick Cronin hopes he just added a key player who can help keep the Bruins nationally relevant. Utah transfer Lazar Stefanovic […]

Things have not started off well for the Houston Astros (3-6), but star slugger Yordan Alvarez is right on schedule for an MVP-caliber season. He launched his third home run of the year- a grand slam at that- and in doing so made history that only one other man could also boast. “Yordan Alvarez hit […]