Liam Hanley Articles - Page 14

After months of additions, both through the NFL draft and free agency, we will soon enter the portion of the off-season focused on roster cuts. Pittsburgh Steelers training camp begins at the end of July, and by August 29, the roster must be trimmed from 90 to 53 players. Speaking of additions, the Steelers made […]

With important questions looming this off-season about the future of the team’s core, the Milwaukee Bucks wasted no time putting pen to paper once NBA free agency started. Free agency began a week ago, and since then, Milwaukee has made six moves: re-signing four players and adding two free agents. Khris Middleton (three years, $102 […]

With some major questions looming this off-season, the Milwaukee Bucks wasted no time getting busy once NBA free agency started on June 30th. In the week since, Milwaukee has made six moves: re-signing four players and adding two free agents. Khris Middleton (three years, $102 million), Brook Lopez (two years, $48 million), Jae Crowder (one […]

The Buffalo Bills have been one of the best teams in the NFL over the last three years, posting a 37-12 regular season record during this stretch. Yet the historically-maligned franchise has been unable to get over the hump and reach the Super Bowl, falling twice in the division round and once in the AFC […]

After some tumultuous times early in the off-season, the Baltimore Ravens steadied the ship by re-signing star quarterback Lamar Jackson to a five-year, $260 million deal. This contract made Jackson the highest-paid player in NFL history. This is a major risk for the Ravens, as by now it is essentially a given that Lamar Jackson […]

The Minnesota Vikings shocked many in the NFL world by releasing star running back Dalvin Cook at the beginning of June. Money was the primary motivator here, as the Vikes saved $9 million this year by cutting Cook and moving on to the younger Alexander Mattison. The Vikings also showed they trust Mattison enough to […]

After a respectable 4-5-1 start to the season, the Indianapolis Colts imploded down the stretch, losing seven straight games to finish 4-12-1. This ugly second half of the season gave the Colts the fourth overall pick in the NFL Draft, which Indianapolis used to select Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson. Richardson will learn the intricacies of […]

Coming off an early playoff exit for the third time in four seasons, this off-season is crucial for the Milwaukee Bucks. Brook Lopez and Khris Middleton are both free agents and the Bucks do not have much cap space to work with. This leaves the NBA Draft as the cheapest way for the Bucks to improve […]

NFL training camp starts in a month and the Green Bay Packers will have a new starting quarterback for the first time since 2008. Jordan Love replaces Aaron Rodgers after the veteran quarterback joined the New York Jets. The new backup quarterback is Sean Clifford, a 2023 fifth-round pick out of Penn State. While Clifford […]

The Utah Jazz had one of the stronger drafts among any NBA team this year, using its three first round picks to take young, athletic scorers who all offer great length. With the ninth overall pick, Utah selected University of Central Florida forward Taylor Hendricks. At pick number 16 Utah took Baylor guard Keyonte George, […]

Many experts were surprised that the Pittsburgh Steelers — a team with a young offense, a thin defense, and uncertainty at the quarterback position — were able to finish 9-8 in 2022 and come within a game of a Wild Card berth. Mike Tomlin’s teams always meet a certain standard, and to bet against the […]

After yet another early exit in the playoffs, the Milwaukee Bucks looked to build for a championship challenge this off-season. This pursuit of a second title for Giannis Antetokounmpo began with the 2023 NBA Draft. With the 36th overall pick, the Bucks selected UConn guard Andre Jackson Jr. Then, with the 58th and final pick […]

For most teams, a 40-34 start to the season would be satisfactory. Not the Houston Astros. Coming off their fourth World Series appearance and second World Series title in six years, the Astros expected to once again be among the cream of the crop in the American League. Instead, the Astros aren’t even in a […]

One of the biggest headlines of the NFL off-season came at the beginning of June when the Minnesota Vikings cut Dalvin Cook. Cook will be 28 years old when he enters his seventh NFL season this fall — the prime age for many positions in the NFL — but near retirement age for many running […]

When the Arizona Cardinals released him on May 26, DeAndre Hopkins immediately became the most coveted NFL free agent. The star wide receiver has visited numerous teams, including the New England Patriots, and there has been significant discussion about the best fit for Hopkins. While there is a list of realistic destinations for the 31-year-old, […]

It is difficult to find a weakness in this Atlanta Braves team that is already 20 games above .500. The Braves are top five in MLB in both team ERA and runs scored per game and own a solid 4.5-game cushion at the NL East throne. The club looks set for the future too, signing […]

The 2023 MLB trade deadline is August 1, and one team that has often been unpredictable when it comes to making trades is the Milwaukee Brewers. Last season, the Crew traded away All-Star closer Josh Hader while leading the NL Central. The front office made the move to maximize the Brewers’ championship window, and accordingly, […]

The Pittsburgh Steelers enter the 2023 NFL season as one of the overlooked teams in the AFC. Even with a rookie quarterback, a leaky defense, and a subpar offensive line, the Steelers managed to finish 9-8 last year, and the team made significant improvements in the offseason. First-round pick Broderick Jones and free agents Isaac […]

NFL mini-camps just concluded and training camp is just a month away, but some of the NFL’s biggest off-season free agents are still unsigned. Dalvin Cook is looking for a new home after his recent release from the Minnesota Vikings, and fellow veteran running back Ezekiel Elliott is also moving on after seven years with […]

Someone has to win the AL Central, and for the first two months of the season, the Detroit Tigers were a serious challenger. Even with a slow start, the Tigers stayed in contention in the mediocre division— even moving to within one game of first place on Memorial Day weekend. Then June began disastrously, as […]

Despite a modest payroll and an even smaller market, the Tampa Bays Rays always exceed expectations every year. This season is no different. Tampa Bay owns own the best record in baseball, ranking second in Major League Baseball in runs scored per game, and tied for first in runs allowed. Not only have the Rays […]

It is midway through the month of June, and the Pittsburgh Pirates are in first place in the National League Central. Whether that is through the Pirates’ ability on the field or the struggles of the rest of the division … fans in Pittsburgh will not be complaining. Yes, the Pirates may have lost nine […]

In such a deep division, the Texas Rangers have emerged as surprise leaders in the AL West. But it is a well-deserved status given the smart spending of the ballclub during the past two off-seasons. Last year, the Rangers strengthened their middle infield with Marcus Semien and Corey Seager. This winter, the club spent big […]

In the preseason predictions, many experts picked the Minnesota Twins to win their division. These intuitions have held true so far, just maybe not in the way that many would have thought. The Twins have hovered at or above the .500 mark for most of the season, while also holding down first place in the […]

After six years of playing at one of the biggest clubs in the world, one of the world’s best players — Kylian Mbappe — has decided he wants to leave Paris Saint-Germain at the expiration of his contract in 2024. Despite Mbappe’s individual success, his tenure at PSG will likely be dubbed a failure. His […]

After some strong additions in the early part of free agency, the Pittsburgh Steelers continued to solidify their roster through the 2023 NFL Draft. The Steelers largely avoided offensive playmakers in the draft, instead focusing on bolstering their defense and the offensive line. First-round pick Broderick Jones will get playing time immediately at offensive tackle, […]

Last year was the warning shot for the Baltimore Orioles, who, after losing 110 games in 2021, improved their win total by 31 games. With a young, rapidly-improving core, this fun team was expected to continue on its upward trajectory in 2023, and maybe even challenge for a playoff spot. But to be second place […]

The Milwaukee Brewers sit at 34-32 more than a third of the way into the season. This might be about where Brewers fans thought the team would be, but it will be a disappointment considering the club was as much as 9 games above .500 back in April and led the division for the majority […]

No team in MLB has played better baseball this season than the Tampa Bay Rays. The Rays sit at 48-20 and offer the second-best pitching and hitting (both in terms of runs per game) in the league — a lethal combination that has helped Tampa open up a 5.5-game lead at the top of the […]

Someone will have to win the AL Central, and right now the team in first place is the Minnesota Twins. Sitting at 33-33, the Twins are the only team in the division without a losing record, though a recent four-game skid has them at .500 for the first time since the season began. The Twins […]

The Green Bay Packers are entering a new era of football up in Titletown. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers is now a New York Jet, leaving Jordan Love to fill the massive void left behind. The team Love inherits though has the potential to go as far as the young quarterback takes them. Aaron Jones and AJ […]

After years of being Manchester City’s primary challenger in England, Liverpool took a step back last season. The Reds finished fifth in the Premier League, a fortunate position considering the Reds were eighth in mid-February. This was from the Liverpool team that won the Premier League in 19-20 or even the team that finished second […]

After the Seattle Mariners’ first playoff appearance in 21 years last season, the highly-acclaimed Mariners offense has fallen flat so far in 2023. Young, burgeoning outfielders Julio Rodriguez and Jarred Kelenic have been strong power sources but strike out too often. The infield has been absent altogether. Eugenio Suarez is striking out almost as much […]

A year after running away with the American League Central, the Cleveland Guardians are struggling to stay afloat in Major League Baseball’s worst division. Cleveland is five games below .500 but is fortunate to only be 3.5 games out of first place. The middle infield duo of Andres Jimenez and Amed Rosario both regressed after […]

It has been a month of treading water for the Pittsburgh Pirates. After a blistering April in which the club won twice as many games as it lost, the Pirates lost 11 of their next 12 games, which was more expected for baseball fans in the Steel City. Since that nasty losing streak, Pittsburgh has […]

Zach Plesac is no longer a member of the Cleveland Guardians. Plesac entered this year with a respectable 4.04 ERA across four MLB seasons but simply could not find his stuff in 2023. The righty allowed 18 earned runs in 21.1 innings (7.59 ERA) across five starts in April, with a worryingly-high WHIP of 1.969. […]

After consecutive early playoff exits in 2021 and 2022, the Tampa Bay Rays began the 2023 MLB season with a determined fervor. The Floridians began the year by winning 12 straight games and have barely slowed down since, as they sit at 42-19 — the best record in baseball. Manager Kevin Cash was always going […]

After a busy, high-spending off-season — which led many to name the ballclub as World Series favorites — the New York Mets sit at .500 through 60 games played, a disappointing start for a team with the most expensive payroll in baseball. Their two highest-paid players — Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer — have not […]

One MLB team that has experienced a surprisingly strong start to the 2023 MLB season is the Miami Marlins. On the back of a strong pitching staff, the Marlins are currently 28-26 — good enough for second place in the NL East and the second wild card spot in the National League. The Marlins are […]