Alex House Articles - Page 44

The WNBA is more than a quarter through what is arguably the most important season in the league’s 28-year existence, reaping the benefits of the arrival of Caitlin Clark and a high-profile rookie class. More fans than ever are flocking to Indiana Fever games to watch the most prominent figure in women’s basketball compete. There […]

In an offseason lamented as unsatisfying and insufficient, the Boston Red Sox (32-31) attempted to address their pitching depth while simultaneously erring on the side of caution. This philosophy, which has become increasingly tiresome for the Fenway Faithful, resulted in former Chicago White Sox right-handed pitchers Liam Hendriks and Lucas Giolito signing short-term contracts in […]

Now that Alabama icon Nick Saban is officially retired from coaching, Georgia football surely sees an opportunity to firmly establish themselves as the sport’s world-beater for the next several years. That lofty but seemingly attainable mission begins by winning a national championship in 2024-25. But dynasties are not maintained without looking towards the future, in […]

The Oklahoma softball Sooners (58-7) are not just sitting comfortably at the pinnacle of the sport. They are gleefully dancing on it, with no other team even in sight of this unprecedented dynasty. For a brief time, it looked as if this would be the year that Patty Gasso and her squad would be thrust […]

Kristaps Porzingis has been labeled the X-factor in the long buildup to the 2024 NBA Finals. That might have been a big understatement. The veteran center returned to action in Game 1 for the first time in over a month, and in doing so, helped the Boston Celtics accomplish something that has never been done […]

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver is doing his part to ensure that basketball legend Bill Walton is going to be honored in Game 1 of the NBA Finals. Before tip-off, players from both the Boston Celtics and Dallas Mavericks wore shirts with the Hall of Famer’s name on them during pregame warmups, per Tomer Azarly of […]

The first two months-plus of the 2024 MLB season have obviously been a major disappointment as far as Toronto Blue Jays fans are concerned. And yet, their glasses should be half full in early-June. The 30-32 club is only three and a half games out of an American League Wild Card slot. The Jays have […]

The future contract status of elite pass rushers will ideally never become a genuine concern among a fan base, especially if a sizable chunk of the team’s ceiling is tied to the player in question. It is undoubtedly one of the most important positions in the NFL, usually forcing owners to acquiesce to lofty demands. […]

In the award-winning drama “Breaking Bad,” the country “Belize” is mentioned to imply murder. Well, that is essentially what occurred following the 150-54 beatdown that Team USA unleashed on Belize in the Under-18 FIBA AmeriCup on Tuesday. Although this matchup was never expected to be competitive, such a lopsided outcome should give fans some belief […]

The New York Yankees (43-19) are about to have a first-world problem on their hands. An elite starting pitching rotation will soon welcome back the reigning American League Cy Young, Gerrit Cole. The veteran ace made a rehab start for the Double-A Somerset Patriots on Tuesday in what his first brush of in-game action since […]

Geno Auriemma does not have much left to accomplish and nothing to prove after leading the most historically prominent program in women’s basketball history. The 2024-25 season will amazingly be his 40th as UConn women’s basketball head coach, and apparently, it will not be his last. The 11-time national champion is agreeing to a five-year […]

Although Aaron Judge is consistently stealing headlines since erupting in the month of May, the New York Yankees’ American League-best 42-19 record must also be attributed to their offseason additions. Much of the focus is justifiably on Juan Soto and Marcus Stroman, but there is an unsung hero who is anchoring the defense. And he […]

Former NFL punter and prominent sports personality Pat McAfee is receiving serous backlash on social media after his latest comments about Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark. He praised the WNBA sensation effusively while tearing down everyone who has downplayed her acumen and league-wide influence, but it is the NSFW manner in which he decided to […]

Despite there being chatter for the past year, the Justin Jefferson contract saga contained little suspense. Yes, he skipped voluntary workouts and was loosely mentioned in trade rumors, but the star wide receiver always seemed destined to remain with the Minnesota Vikings in the long term. Anticipation was nevertheless high, as NFL fans speculated on […]

The Dallas Stars were dealt a crippling dose of deja vu Sunday night, as they fell in six games in the Western Conference Finals for the second straight year. This Stanley Cup Playoffs run felt different, though. Despite earning the top seed, the bracket demanded that they battle the league’s last two champions for a […]

The NBA is a star-driven league, so it is only natural that the stars drive the narratives of the 2024 Finals. Focus is overwhelmingly on Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown of the Boston Celtics and the Dallas Mavericks’ Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving. But the game plan cannot be simplified to merely stopping these offensive […]

Let the chatter commence. With the NBA Finals still five days away, American basketball fans are shifting their attention to the international circuit for now. Consequently, they are becoming reacquainted with someone who was among the best at his position in the world for a period of time. DeMarcus Cousins has once again made himself […]

Before the 2024 NBA Playoffs started, most people thought the biggest threat to the Boston Celtics was themselves. Their balance and experience deservedly earned them the status as the clear championship favorites. The Dallas Mavericks have changed fans’ perception a bit, however. A Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving-led backcourt, solid defense and exquisite chemistry now […]

Just as smiles begin to form on the faces of Toronto Blue Jays fans, the club absorbs another crushing blow. Alek Manoah is being placed on the 15-day injured list with a right elbow sprain, according to MLB.com. The 2022 All-Star and second runner-up for American League Cy Young is trying to put together a […]

There are a bunch of things that can go wrong over the course of a season, some of which are completely out of a team’s control. How one responds to the bad luck element that plagues all franchises at one point or another can have a deeply profound impact on a locker room and on-court […]

A small-market baseball team that has missed the playoffs in eight straight seasons and is currently below .500 does not generally receive much national coverage. And yet, the Pittsburgh Pirates (26-30) are gaining some precious exposure on ESPN’s “The Pat McAfee Show,” courtesy of their two most prized pitching prospects, Paul Skenes and Jared Jones. […]

The sexual misconduct lawsuit filed by former WWE employee Janel Grant against the company’s former chairman and CEO, Vince McMahon, is being paused in accordance with a pending federal investigation, per The Athletic’s Alex Andrejev, Jenna West and Chris Vannini. This move comes at the request of the Justice Department and is being complied to […]

Former champion and current Dallas Mavericks executive Michael Finley surely remembers how it felt punching a ticket to the NBA Finals back in 2007. After years of toiling in the gym and honing one’s craft, the feeling of finally getting over the hump is indescribably special. A glorious celebration ensues, with alcohol typically being in […]

Although the Dallas Stars have faced overwhelming odds throughout these Stanley Cup Playoffs, they are somehow only two wins away from competing for their second championship in franchise history. Resilience is propelling head coach Pete DeBoer and his squad forward amid incessant adversity. Dallas won a war of attrition versus the Vegas Golden Knights after […]

Although many people considered the Arizona Diamondbacks’ 2023 National League Pennant run to be a fluke, the team’s exceptional amount of promise was undeniable. Earning a second straight trip to the World Series is obviously a daunting task for this group, but sustained success definitely appears achievable. Needless to say, 2024 is not going as […]

Drew Gordon, the older brother of Denver Nuggets forward and 2023 NBA champion Aaron Gordon, has passed away in a tragic car accident in Portland, Oregon, per Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium. He was just 33 years old. Gordon excelled in New Mexico (also spent two years at UCLA) before turning professional in […]

The Sacramento Kings have pressing matters to address this offseason, as they try to avoid becoming stagnant in a relentless Western Conference. Before the front office tends to the roster, though, it is determined to nail down a new contract extension for the team’s head coach. After it was initially reported that talks cooled off […]

The New York Mets are getting hammered on the field and skewered in the headlines, as they continue their free fall in the National League. Wednesday’s bad optics tornado, which saw relief pitcher Jorge Lopez have a meltdown after being ejected and throw his glove into the stands, feels like rock bottom. In his postgame […]

When a young star is facing suffocating pressure to save his team from postseason elimination, he may need a calming and reassuring voice in his ear. For Minnesota Timberwolves’ Anthony Edwards, it was one of the people who helped prepare him for the NBA. Former Georgia basketball head coach Tom Crean texted the two-time All-Star […]

Aside from blooming into a genuine superstar at just 22 years old, one of the reasons Anthony Edwards is being tabbed as the future face of the NBA is because of his big personality. He has not shown it off much during the Western Conference Finals, but the All-NBA Second-Team selection flipped on the switch […]

Rudy Gobert has garnered his share of critics over the years, but one specific gripe is prompting a passionate response from the Minnesota Timberwolves big man. In the team’s Western Conference Semifinals series against the Denver Nuggets, a seven-game thriller that seemingly suggested a changing of the guard, Gobert missed the second matchup to witness […]

Caitlin Clark commands significant attention no matter where she goes, both on and off the court. But a particular instance in the Los Angeles Sparks’ 88-82 road win versus the Indiana Fever (1-7) illustrates just how much focus is on the rookie phenom. After making the first of two free throws, Aari McDonald immediately rushed […]

The MLB is trying to right the gross injustices of its past with its latest decision, one that will vastly alter the record books. The statistics of players in the Negro Leagues will be integrated into the big league’s historical account, per Yahoo Sports’ Russell Dorsey. Stars who were banned from competing in the MLB […]

Following a season marred by injuries, a rational person would conclude that the Memphis Grizzlies deserve a mulligan for the 2024-25 campaign, at least as far as management is concerned. While that is obviously true to some degree, their head coach may be in a precarious spot. Taylor Jenkins joins the New Orleans Pelicans’ Willie […]

Basketball legend and one of sports’ biggest personalities, Bill Walton, has passed away at the age of 71 after enduring a “prolonged battle with cancer,” according to NBA Communications. Walton’s talent and commitment on the court allowed him to become one of the greatest players in collegiate history and a multi-time NBA champion. His passion […]

There are good vibes all around the Dallas Mavericks. Before Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving successfully closed out another fourth quarter in a 116-107 Game 3 win against the Minnesota Timberwolves, the team’s social media department made sure to have some fun. Texas native and three-time Super Bowl MVP Patrick Mahomes and all-time great tight […]

Josef Newgarden raced his way into rarefied air when he thrillingly captured his second straight Indianapolis 500 title on Sunday afternoon. He is only the sixth driver to ever go back-to-back at the iconic event, and the first to do so since legend Helio Castroneves in 2001-02, per NBC Sports. The special feat is made […]

After watching the Lombardi Trophy slip through their grasp and land in the possession of the Kansas City Chiefs for the second time in five years, the San Francisco 49ers should be completely focused on finally finishing the job in the 2024-25 season. Though, that is a difficult declaration to make when they are still […]

The Indiana Pacers have eagerly disrupted the 2024 NBA Playoffs, taking advantage of an injury-plagued Eastern Conference while overcoming their youth and rabid opposing crowds. Though, as has been the case many times in postseason history, order is on the verge of being restored. A supremely-talented and skilled Boston Celtics team is not sympathetic to […]