Chris Dodson Articles - Page 10

The Oregon football program has a new superstar and the new talk of college football only leaves the sidelines once per game. It’s not a player per se but the idea of an extra player to help peel off crucial seconds from the clock. Much like Oregon’s Dillon Gabriel singing Morgan Wallen, it is hard […]

Every postseason lead is precious, every October loss is heart wrenching. Looking for positives is sometimes tougher than hitting an Edwin Diaz fastball, especially if there were any self-inflicted wounds. They only committed one error but the Los Angeles Dodgers were swinging snakes in a 7-3 Game 2 NLCS loss versus the New York Mets. […]

The United States will help host one of the most glamorous events on the planet when the World Cup comes to North America in 2026. Hospitality is one thing, but protecting home turf is just as important. That is why the USMNT brought in Mauricio Pochettino to right the ship on the national team. Poch […]

The New Orleans Pelicans know their weaknesses with Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram leading the way. A failure to close out games after holding leads in the fourth quarter and a lack of three-pointers led to another NBA Play-In Tournament gauntlet. The Pelicans survived but got swept by the Oklahoma City Thunder in the first […]

The 13th-ranked LSU football program was feeling anxious in the week leading up to a visit from the ninth-ranked Ole Miss Rebels. Brain Kelly’s locker room was dealing with injuries, possible transfer portal departures, and College Football Playoff hopes teetering on the brink. An early loss to the USC Trojans and a scare against the […]

Lane Kiffin’s controversial Ole Miss football program cannot cry foul after losing an overtime thriller to Brian Kelly’s LSU Tigers. The Ole Miss Rebels were in control for most of the night. However, Garrett Nussmeier was golden in growth moments while Jaxson Dart’s Heisman Trophy dreams wilted away with every second-half incompletion. Dart was in […]

The Zion Williamson-led New Orleans Pelicans had problems last season that only a true point guard could solve. At least, that is what the front office told fans with the acquisition of Dejounte Murray from the Atlanta Hawks. Sure, the Point Zion Experiment was fine for stretches during the regular season, but the tactic hit […]

Fans of the New Orleans Pelicans will notice some substantial changes in the Smoothie King Center this season beyond Dejounte Murray running the point. The arena’s HUB Club area is getting some upgrades, many of which will be ready for Opening Night versus Lonzo Ball’s Chicago Bulls. Finishing touches will be on full display in […]

Homecoming celebrations can take many forms, from high school dance functions to funerals. Karl-Anthony Towns got to tease what fans of the New York Knicks should expect for the coming NBA season. The newest acquisition was outstanding in his return to the old stomping grounds, even if it did not mean much in the overall […]

Any clash of California sports teams will bring about a bit of chaos. Learning to capture and channel that energy for positive gains is crucial to winning championships, especially in postseason games. That is why Los Angeles Dodgers lead-off man Mookie Betts was honest about switching off social media before a win-or-go-home Game 4 against […]

The Memphis Grizzlies got a Ja Morant injury scare in the very first game of the 2024-25 NBA season. Consider that one hurdle that had to be cleared this year at some point. At least it is over with and was relatively minor considering the worst-case scenario. Still, a cautious coach Taylor Jenkins will be […]

The New York Mets rollercoaster ride continues a week after sneaking into the National League Wild Card bracket on the final day of the regular season. They escaped a pressure-cooker best-of-three sprint against the Milwaukee Brewers. Mets outfielder Brandon Nimmo was sobbing after winning the National League Divisional Series. Likewise, All-Star Francisco Lindor could not […]

Dennis Allen did not wait until Sunday to name a New Orleans Saints starting quarterback. There was no point in trying to keep the visiting Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the dark considering they are practicing just down the street. The Hurricane Milton evacuees might as well know in advance Spencer Rattler will be introduced in […]

The Memphis Grizzlies are going all-out this preseason to shake off Ja Morant’s rust and aid in Zach Edey’s rookie adjustments. Marcus Smart is already talking championship, among other things. The former NBA Defensive Player of the Year (2021-22) also revealed how Zach Edey can unlock the full potential of the Grizzlies’ defense. Specifically, Smart […]

The PetCo Park fans were in a frenzy but one player did not want that same premature celebration energy seeping down into the San Diego Padres’ dugout. Sure, a close 6-5 Game 3 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers put the Padres one step closer to a World Series berth. San Diego has had their […]

It did not take long after Nick Saban retired for Alabama football to fall on hard times. Sure, the Crimson Tide are still ranked in the top ten of almost every poll. Losing to Vanderbilt is almost unforgivable as it had not happened in 40 years (Sept. 28, 1984). Alabama football is losing starter-level talent […]

Dirty laundry can smell of many things. As of late Tuesday Night, October 8, Pete Alonso’s good-luck luggage smells of success. The New York Mets had to make a late run through a sixteen-day, hurricane-affected road trip just to break into the National League Divisional Series. It’s been such a whirlwind that unpacking before Game […]

Fans of the Grimace-loving New York Mets should “attack” the standing ovation for Sean Manaea as aggressively as the starting pitcher went after the Philadelphia Phillies. Manaea worked efficiently in issuing only two walks and effectively (three hits allowed) to push the underdogs into a Game 3 win and a 2-1 series lead. Even Mets […]

Fans of the Los Angeles Lakers will have to forgive JJ Redick for, well, being a fan of Christopher Nolan movies. The organization also has to admit this is a bit of “limbo” season with LeBron James about to hit 40 years old. The new head coach paired those two trains of thought when circled […]

The Zion Williamson-led New Orleans Pelicans wasted no time in sending a message to their fans that this squad is ready for a fast start to the regular season. An in-shape Williamson dished out three assists on the first three possessions, then hit a couple of floaters for good measure. Then Dejounte Murray moved into […]

NBA Draft picks have far different runway lengths when joining the pros. Some teenagers enter into lottery-bound locker rooms while four-year NCAA veterans are expected to be regular-season contributors on playoff squads. Willie Green’s New Orleans Pelicans are expecting a lot from Jordan Hawkins this year. The now 22-year-old was off to a historic start […]

Preseason games are hardly a platform for making a statement. However, it did not take long to notice Zion Williamson was dominating to lead the New Orleans Pelicans in a preseason-opening win. The Orlando Magic took an offseason of anticipation on the chin from Williamson, who had a hand in the first 11 points to […]

Concerns about lacking a traditional center have been quieted for at least one afternoon. The New Orleans Pelicans picked up a preseason-opening win over the Orlando Magic thanks to a big first half from Zion Williamson and a 10-0 run to start the third quarter by the reserves. Jordan Hawkins was seemingly on a mission […]

Unfortunately, Ja Morant’s much-anticipated return to the Memphis Grizzlies from a 25-game suspension was shortlived last season due to a shoulder injury. It has now been over 12 months since the Western Conference contenders of Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr., Desmond Bane, and Marcus Smart were all fully healthy. Thankfully, the wait is over when it […]

The New Orleans Pelicans are ready for pre-season action but some piece of training camp equipment needs attention soon thanks to one rookie big man. Yves Missi has been breaking rims and bothering veterans, in a good way, during Pelicans training camp at Belmont University. The 20-year-old Cameroonian international caused a holdup in practice after […]

NBA preseason action is tipping off around the world during the first week of October. Unfortunately, the New Orleans Pelicans are dealing with crippling injuries already. Head coach Willie Green’s starting lineup decisions got a little easier with Trey Murphy III on the shelf to start the season but the first five up is still […]

Shannon Sharpe has never been one to hold back an opinion on network television much less the Club Shay Shay Show. Get the NFL Hall of Fame on The Nightcap Show with co-host Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson and the true feelings come out. Sharpe took to the microphone and all but assured the lone voter against […]

The Vanderbilt football program put the world on notice during the first College Football Saturday in October. Weird things can happen outside of study hall on the Vanderbilt campus, and the Alabama Crimson Tide found out the hard way. The Commodores scored a 40-35 win over top-ranked Alabama, scoring their first touchdown against the NCAA […]

The Memphis Grizzlies releasing Derrick Rose led to a shocking retirement going by everyone’s reactions at Media Day. Players, staff, and executives who grew up as fans learned of the news on social media without warning. The front office and coaches had already flipped to filling those backup point guard shoes, though, mainly with some […]

The New York Mets lived a season with more stops and starts than one of the city’s subway trains. It was a rollercoaster of a 162-game ride going from 11 games under .500 to finding out their MLB Wild Card fate on the last day of the season. Pete Alonzo lifted the Mets on the […]

It is hard to believe after 103 seasons of play but USC football is going through some growing pains. Head coach Lincoln Riley lost a Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback from last season while adding a few thousand miles to the road schedule. The PAC-12 to Big Ten move has created more than a few Michigan maize […]

The New Orleans Saints (2-2) are not looking for saviors. Likewise, they are not playing to save the season on ESPN’s Monday Night Football Week 5 matchup against Patrick Mahomes and the undefeated Kansas City Chiefs (4-0). Derek Carr’s Saints are facing a nightmare scenario weeks before Halloween festivities take over the Big Easy’s spooky […]

Matt Ishbia’s Phoenix Suns are going all-in on a championship core built around Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal. Those three max-level players leave little money to be spread around the rest of the roster before huge punitive luxury tax hits start to eat into the operating budget. The front office knows the Suns […]

The New Orleans Pelicans have plenty of reasons to be excited for the 2024-25 NBA season. They also have a lot of the same problems as last year’s squad, both good and bad. Bench depth that makes other contenders envious is a positive. A lack of shooting and rebounding around Zion Williamson in the starting […]

The Memphis Grizzlies gamble on Zach Edey will get the boom-or-bust treatment all season. Either Edey will be on a Rookie of the Year pathway like Ja Morant predicts or will be declared a bust by the national media’s more reactive talking heads. That is unfortunate from a knowledgeable, entertaining yet informative basketball conversation perspective […]

The Pittsburg Pirates will not win the 2024 World Series but the franchise was the talk of the town for a few weeks this summer. Pirates ace rookie Paul Skenes was sensational after being promoted from the minors. Now seems the perfect time to build a winning roster around their superstar on a cheap rookie […]

The Pittsburg Pirates had such potential. Now they have nothing but blame to pass around following another disappointing season. General Manager Ben Cherington is taking his fair share but the organization is sending signals on what they think went wrong with some staff changes. “We need to get better, and we need to get better […]

The Golden State Warriors dealt with an awkward opening to NBA training camps this week. The franchise had to face the reality that they would not look the same next season. Klay Thompson has joined the reigning Western Conference champion Dallas Mavericks. Thankfully, there seemed to be a replacement waiting in the wings in Brandin […]

These San Diego Padres do not have time for side quests or individual storylines this late into the season. The Manny Machado-led machine is still marching towards the franchise’s first World Series title after dispatching the Atlanta Braves in the MLB National League Wild Card best-of-three round. Fernando Tatis Jr. loves the Padres’ energy, and […]