Alex House Articles - Page 82

Soldier Field was brimming with more positivity than it had been in quite a while for last week’s Chicago Bears season opener. The addition of DJ Moore was a big reason why. It is no coincidence that his underwhelming, two-catch effort coincided with a disheartening 38-20 loss to the Green Bay Packers. No Aaron Rodgers, […]

The Cleveland Browns thumped the Cincinnati Bengals in the season opener, smothering Joe Burrow and a dynamic offense. Perhaps most impressive was the fact that they produced such a dominant effort without one of their key offseason additions. Juan Thornhill, who won two Super Bowls with the Kansas City Chiefs before signing with Cleveland, has […]

Winning brings everyone together, right? Even when things are going well from a team standpoint, star players still want to eat. Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver AJ Brown was fairly animated in a sideline conversation with quarterback Jalen Hurts, before the team officially clinched a 34-28 victory over the visiting Minnesota Vikings. Hurts shed some light […]

The Minnesota Vikings might have fallen short for the second game in a row, but Justin Jefferson continues to put together a Hall of Fame career. That’s right, in just over three seasons of professional football, the superstar wide receiver has put himself on the fast track to Canton. His latest historic triumph, which came […]

The Minnesota Vikings have had a tough start to the NFL season. While it definitely stings to be 0-2, the team’s issues could be at greater risk of continuing following an injury suffered in Thursday night’s 34-28 road loss against the Philadelphia Eagles. Oli Udoh, who was filling in at left tackle for the banged-up […]

Until very recently, the Orlando Magic were on a shameful run of NBA Drafts. Year after year, they either reached on raw prospects, selected specialist-type players or traded away the rights to a future All-Star (Domantas Sabonis). The franchise has been mired in obscurity for over a decade, with a couple of lackluster postseason appearances […]

Just a week ago, the Texas Rangers (82-64) seemed destined to be the odd team out in the American League playoff picture. Now, they are peaking at the perfect moment after just sweeping the Toronto Blue Jays in a pivotal four-game series. And help is on the way. “According to Bruce Bochy, the hope is […]

When Cooper Kupp was placed on the Injured Reserve ahead of the 2023-24 NFL season, uncertainty turned into melancholy for Los Angeles Rams fans. By the time Week 1 was over, though, the only emotion they were feeling was resounding jubilation. A dominant second half allowed LA to pull off the big opening road win […]

With multiple smaller-market and unheralded teams competing for the final National League Wild Card slot, one might have reasonably assumed that the playoff picture would be a bit clearer by mid-September. That cannot be farther from the truth, however. All of these gritty groups have remained firmly in the fight. The San Francisco Giants are […]

In the NBA, you don’t remain a fixture in your late 30s without possessing a high basketball IQ. LeBron James is still highly skilled and can attack the basket with great ferocity, but it’s his ability to consistently see the whole court that allowed him to play at a superstar level for the Los Angeles […]

When you have been as dominant as the Atlanta Braves are this year, it can be difficult to stay excited during the final stretch of the regular season. Though, an impending National League East feat is keeping the club plenty motivated. The Braves are just two wins away from clinching their sixth consecutive divisional title. […]

The NBA offseason is a time to relax a bit after investing so much time and energy in your game and team’s success. Denver Nuggets superstar and NBA Finals MVP Nikola Jokic has thoroughly enjoyed being back in Serbia. The party rolled on when the national team returned home after a praiseworthy FIBA World Cup […]

While an entire fan base and region ponders what could have been had Aaron Rodgers not suffered a torn Achilles Monday night, Spike Lee is spreading some local sports positivity. The Academy Award winner did not have a positive spin on the New York Jets quarterback situation, but he is predicting big success for his […]

While Dennis Schroder is still enjoying the high of leading Germany to its first ever FIBA World Cup championship, he took some time to explain why he chose to sign with the Toronto Raptors in free agency. It might surprise you. “I think Darko [Rajakovic], the head coach,” Schroder told Malika Andrews on NBA Today, […]

The Las Vegas Raiders achieved something in Week 1 versus the Denver Broncos that they rarely did last season. They won a close football game. While things got a bit dicey, new quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo led what would be a game-winning touchdown drive with six-and-a-half minutes left in the fourth quarter. The defense held strong […]

New York Jets fans are still reeling from the news that Aaron Rodgers will be out for the entire season with a torn Achilles. All of the hope that was lighting up the skies above MetLife Stadium has turned into a mixture of uncertainty and melancholy. But one can take some pride in the fact […]

Before the 2023 FIBA World Cup, few would have guessed that Dennis Schroder would have emerged as one of the faces of the tournament. Even fewer might have predicted that he would lead his native Germany to their first ever title. That type of historic achievement earned the veteran NBA guard a huge hero’s welcome […]

After tragically losing his younger brother during Labor Day weekend, Garrett Whitlock returned to the Boston Red Sox Sunday and pitched nearly two perfect innings of baseball. But manager Alex Cora understands that his on-field performance is of secondary importance right now. He reiterated his heartfelt support for the 27-year-old right-hander following Boston’s 7-3 home […]

There might only be two members of the Pac-12 still standing, but they are fighting hard to preserve the conference’s integrity and resources. Oregon State and Washington State have been granted a temporary restraining order in the case against the Pac-12, according to Pete Thamel of ESPN. The latest move in this improbable saga affords […]

The greats find ways to motivate themselves. They do not need any extra bulletin board material. They will still use it to their advantage, though. Georgia football head coach Kirby Smart undoubtedly lit a fire in Bulldogs fans when he responded to recent comments made by a South Carolina player. Senior defensive tackle Tonka Hemingway […]

After Colorado quarterback and early Heisman candidate Shedeur Sanders blasted Nebraska football following the Buffaloes’ 36-14 blowout win, Matt Rhule is now giving his side of the story. The Cornhuskers head coach led a meeting on Colorado’s logo last Saturday before the game, which Sanders interpreted as “extreme disrespect.” Though, according to Rhule, there was […]

Although the Carolina Panthers were handed a decisive, 24-10 loss by the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday afternoon, there were some positives fans could glean from the first game of the season. Brian Burns, in particular, was a consistent nuisance to the opposing offense. The fifth-year linebacker recorded seven total tackles, one-and-a-half sacks and a tackle […]

Taunting has become an unfortunate part of sports social media culture. Shielded by the protection of a screen, fans can be quite vicious in their critiques of athletes. In turn, the athletes will often respond when the opportunity presents itself. But it is highly uncommon for the clapback to occur before a player vindicates themselves […]

The more things change, the more they stay the same. Sunday was supposed to mark the beginning of a new era for the Chicago Bears, but it looked eerily similar to the old one. The purveyor of this all too familiar brand of pain was none other than the Green Bay Packers. Only this time, […]

Following last season’s unexpected success, the New York Giants enter the 2023-24 campaign seemingly primed to make another jump up the NFC hierarchy. But there was no visible leap forward in Sunday night’s disaster against the Dallas Cowboys. In fact, they didn’t even get off the ground. The optimism elicited by a solid opening drive […]

Coco Gauff and an electric crowd at Arthur Ashe Stadium shared a moment for the ages when the American teenager came back to beat the No.2-seeded Aryna Sabalenka in the US Open Final. This coronation was always going to evoke a big reaction within the tennis world, but legendary athletes and well-known pundits also took […]

A new queen of tennis might have just been crowned in Flushing, New York on Saturday, Sept. 9. Coco Gauff broke through for her first career Grand Slam, defeating new world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in three sets (2-6, 6-3, 6-2) to claim the US Open Women’s Championship. A packed Arthur Ashe Stadium celebrated as […]

When the new baserunning and pick-off rules were implemented ahead of the 2023 MLB season, fans knew significant change was coming. However, the league just hit a bonkers statistic that really illustrates how impactful these modifications have been for the game. Philadelphia Phillies’ Bryson Stott was responsible for securing the league-wide milestone. The second baseman […]

Baylor football was desperate for a strong showing Saturday versus No. 12 Utah after suffering a big upset loss at home to Texas State in their season opener. Amid these dire times, ESPN analyst and Bears great Robert Griffin III opted for a joke before storming the field in McLane Stadium with legions of Baylor […]

The bank accounts of one MLB owner just got a little less robust. Enthralling young pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto achieved some remarkable Japanese League history on Saturday, and in the process likely increased his potential free agent market value. The Orix Buffaloes right-handed ace threw the second no-hitter of his career and just the 100th in […]

Given the past, it was inevitable that iconic rapper Drake would be at full force for the UFC 293 middleweight title bout between champion Israel Adesanya and challenger Sean Strickland. He revealed his latest big bet ahead of Saturday’s showdown, in an Instagram post. Drake is wagering $500,000 thousand that Adesanya will win via knockout, […]

While the focus was on the late-game blunders, Nebraska football showed signs of marked improvement in their season opener against Minnesota. The team played with a visible defensive intensity and maintained a lead most of the night. The offense, however, is a clear work-in-progress, with turnovers specifically being a big issue. Going into a Week […]

Colorado football has waited quite a while for some genuine enthusiasm to return to Folsom Field. The anticipation has been building since the Buffaloes earned a big road victory last weekend over then-ranked TCU in Deion Sanders’ first game as head coach. Fans’ patience will be rewarded Saturday in the team’s home opener versus Nebraska. […]

Since he suffered a UCL tear, questions have been lingering about the true market value for Shohei Ohtani. One would assume that if he is unable to pitch right away, the hybrid’s contract amount will be slashed at least somewhat. Well, apparently the allure of the Los Angeles Angels superstar is strong enough to compensate […]

The Buffalo Bills are just days away from beginning what feels like one of the most important seasons in franchise history. Now, you could have said the same last year and the many years to come in the Josh Allen era, but the sense of urgency surrounding the 2023-24 campaign cannot be underestimated. They must […]

Saturday afternoon figures to be a tense and grueling war to determine the 2023 US Open women’s champion. The two remaining competitors have endured a suffocating heat wave, gritty and seasoned challengers and mounting pressure that comes with occupying a top spot in a global sport. Emotions can only be high when the stakes are […]

The Colorado Rockies are trying to give themselves some added flexibility with their latest move. They have agreed to a two-year, $20 million contract extension with starting pitcher German Marquez, according to ESPN’s Jeff Passan. The 2021 All-Star has missed almost the entire year after undergoing Tommy John surgery in early May. His 4.41 career […]

Los Angeles Rams fans have been anxiously waiting for some clarity regarding the hamstring injury of Cooper Kupp. Some answers might be coming soon, but they might not be the ones anyone was hoping for. LA head coach Sean McVay’s latest update is sure to discourage and disappoint. When asked if Kupp, backup quarterback Stetson […]

After all of the mocking and “F group” proclamations, USA winning the FIBA World Cup would been a fitting and triumphant end to this battle for global hoops supremacy. It would not have been the most original script, to be sure, but still a somewhat intriguing one. This is not the NFL, though. Nor is […]