Zachary Draves Articles - Page 22

When it comes to getting connected with his players, Illinois football coach Bret Bielema is a unique class of his own. During Family Weekend and in the spring, Bielema maintains a strong connection with the players’ families. So much so that during the spring, he hosts a “mothers’ practice” where the players’ mothers take part […]

The northside of Chicago is roaring following the Cubs’ clinching a Playoff spot. After defeating the Pittsburgh Pirates 8-4 on Wednesday, the Cubs will play in October for the first time since 2020. A moment that was indeed special for everyone involved, but especially true for OF Ian Happ. In 2017, Happ joined the Cubs […]

In a moment of courage or perplexity, New York Liberty star Breanna Stewart said she will play Game 2 against the Mercury on a sprained MCL. Before the game, Liberty head coach Sandy Brondello boldly proclaimed that Stewart will make her decision based on how warm-ups went, per Annie Costabile of Front Office Sports “plan […]

It’s been said that San Francisco Giants veteran pitcher Justin Verlander will return for his 21st season. However, he still needs to finish his 20th. On Wednesday, Verlander etched his name in the history books alongside the likes of Roger Clemens, per Sarah Langs of MLB.com. Over the course of four games, Verlander has allowed […]

A who’s who of NFL royalty is heading to Saudi Arabia next March to compete in a Flag Football tournament. One of those is Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton. He will join alongside Las Vegas’ Pete Carroll and San Francisco’s Kyle Shanahan. On Wednesday, Payton explained his intentions to help expand the scope of […]

Over the weekend, Chicago Bears TE T.J. Edwards sustained a hamstring injury in the Bears’ 52-21 loss to the Detroit Lions. As a result, he had to be taken out of the game. Therefore, he is likely not to take the field this upcoming Sunday against the Dallas Cowboys, per Jeremy Fowler and Courtney Cronin […]

Even though he is a retired NFL QB, Tom Brady still has it. In March 2026, Brady will compete in a Saudi Arabian-sponsored Flag Football league. Also, his legendary arm remains intact. On Sunday, Brady threw a perfect pass to former Patriots teammate Rob Gronkowski during an NFL on Fox pregame show. Both of whom […]

On Tuesday, Aliyah Boston came through for the Indiana Fever in their 77-60 Game 2 win over the Atlanta Dream. It was the Fever’s first playoff win since 2015. Boston finished with 15 points and shot 7-for-12 from the field. Also, she hit a big three-pointer in the third quarter that got the crowd at […]

Earlier this month, Carmelo Anthony was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame. But is he on the cusp of getting an additional honor? On Wednesday, a question was asked about the possibility of Anthony getting his jersey retired by the Knicks, per Ian Begley of SNY.TV. The question “Do you think Melo’s number will […]

When it comes to St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Willson Contreras, his injury woes continue to worsen. On Wednesday, the Cardinals officially announced that Contreras will go on the 10-day injured list due to a right shoulder strain. As a result, his status is retroactive as of Sept. 16. Additionally, INF José Fermín has been […]

The NBA is working on a plan to develop a new league in Europe. Ultimately, the league is anticipated to launch in 2027. On Wednesday, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said it could take longer for NBA Europe to come to fruition, per ESPN. During a conference hosted by Front Office Sports, Silver clarified that the […]

Nobody knows when LeBron James will decide to hang up his sneakers. Some said James will do so during the NBA Summer League. But his inevitable retirement may come later than most anticipate. According to reports, James won’t stop playing until he gets a shot at playing with his son Bryce, per Ashish Mathur of […]

On Tuesday, the Las Vegas Aces had their 17 game win streak came to an end. In Game 2 of the first round of the playoffs, they lost to the Seattle Storm 86-83. A number of factors contributed to the Aces’ demise. In the fourth quarter, the Aces led by 14 points, but the Storm […]

In 2024, MLB held its third series in London between the New York Mets and Philadelphia Phillies. A year later, that series has been put on hold. On Wednesday, MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred officially announced that the 2026 London series between the Yankees and Blue Jays was canceled, per ESPN. Ultimately, there was a scheduling […]

For three decades, Allen Iverson became one of the most influential players in NBA history. A history that will be documented in an upcoming Prime Video series, per Sports on Prime. A man that needs no introduction. ALLEN IV3RSON premieres October 23. pic.twitter.com/McsF6qWwzE — Sports on Prime (@SportsonPrime) September 16, 2025 The series “Allen Iv3rson” […]

On Monday, television viewers got a glimpse of Tom Brady as they had never seen before. During the Raiders/Chargers game, Brady, a minority owner of the Raiders, was captured in the coaching booth wearing a headset. Immediately, questions arose as to whether the team owner had a position in the coaching booth and was potentially […]

Even though the Dallas Wings had a losing record, their rookie sensation Paige Bueckers is all smiles. On Tuesday, Bueckers was officially named the 2025 WNBA Rookie of the Year. Afterward, fans swarmed social media, singing the praises of Bueckers. From the moment she touched the floor, Paige’s game spoke for itself. Buckets in rhythm, […]

On Monday, Giannis Antetokounmpo helped lead Greece to a bronze medal at EuroBasket. A 92-89 victory over Finland that was emotional to say the least with Giannis in tears following the win. However, his triumph was marred by tragedy. After Greece lost to Turkey in the semifinal, Giannis’s wife, Mariah, received a vicious message on […]

On Monday, the Philadelphia Phillies clinched the NL East in a comeback victory over the L.A. Dodgers. As they look to the playoffs, they have all the necessities needed to go far. They got a solid core at the plate with Kyle Schwarber, Bryce Harper, Trea Turner, and Alec Bohm. While they can certainly swing […]

The 2025 Ryder Cup is really heating up. U.S. captain Keegan Bradley exchanged words with Rory McIlroy after Mcllory made a few comments.  Meanwhile, Team Europe has a few tricks up its sleeve when it comes to dealing with the rowdy crowd at Bethpage Black, per NBC Sports/Associated Press. As a way to block out […]

On Sunday, Toronto Blue Jays prospect Trey Yesavage generated laughs when he was called up. The following day, he was laughing all the way to the bank.  On Monday, Yesavage put on a solid showing in his MLB debut against the Tampa Bay Rays, per Keegan Matheson of MLB.com. In the 4th inning, Yesevage struck […]

On Monday, NFL legend Tom Brady announced he was competing in a Flag Football tournament in Saudi Arabia next March. Furthermore, he will be playing alongside other NFL greats, including Saquon Barkley, CeeCee Lamb, and former teammate Rob Gronkowski, to name a few.  Afterward, Brady took to social media to psyche fans up following his […]

The Houston Texans and especially CJ Stroud are looking to bounce back from their 14-9 loss to the LA Rams in Week 1. On Monday, they will host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, which will be broadcast on Monday Night Football on ESPN.  Prior to the game, Stroud led fans in on some of his unusual […]

Next March, Tom Brady will compete in a Flag Football tournament in Saudi Arabia. Afterward, Brady seemingly hinted at the possibility of him competing in the first-ever Flag Football Olympics in 2028, per Daniel Popper of The Athletic.  “We’ll see,” Brady said. “Let’s see how this game goes.” Tom Brady announced today that he is […]

The Chicago Bears’ 31-point loss to the Detroit Lions on Sunday was as painful as it got. Many are pointing the finger at coach Ben Johnson for not developing a comprehensive offensive strategy, which led to a poor performance.  Altogether, the Bears turned the ball over numerous times, their offensive line was intact, and they […]

New York Mets legend Mike Piazza is still much a part of the team. Even though he retired from the league in 2007 after playing 16 seasons. Nobody would know that his best years were behind him based on him taking batting practice before the Mets’ Saturday game against the Texas Rangers, per Yahoo Sports. […]

WNBA legend Candace Parker gave her all to the University of Tennessee. Her heart is deeply intertwined with the state that helped lead to back-to-back national championships in 2007 and 2008. On Saturday, Parker was the guest of honor on ESPN’s College GameDay before No. 15 Tennessee taking on No.6 Georgia. Candace Parker tried to […]

Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto has had quite a week and a half. Last Saturday, Yamamoto was denied a no-hitter with one out against the Baltimore Orioles. In the process, he etched his name into the history books. Yamamoto became the first Dodgers pitcher to fall short of a no-hitter with one out since […]

Though she plays for the Indiana Fever, Sophie Cunningham still has a place in her heart for Missouri. On Saturday, Cunningham reflected on the news that she will be inducted into the Missouri Athletics Hall of Fame, per the Fever X page. “I did get inducted to the Hall of Fame, but I promise you […]

On Friday, the Seattle Mariners defeated the Los Angeles Angels courtesy of a big homer by catcher Mitch Garver. He broke a 1-1 tie in the 7th inning with a home run. As a result, the Mariners are locked in a tie with the Houston Astros for first place in the AL West at 80-68. […]

At crunch time, the Toronto Blue Jays are marching towards October with a vengeance. Particularly, they are relying on the power of Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to get them to the promised land.  On Friday, that was proven to be the case in a 6-1 win over the Baltimore Orioles, per MLB. Not only did the […]

On Friday, the St. Louis Cardinals begin a three-game series against the Milwaukee Brewers. A series in which some players remain hobbled as a result of injury.  Before the first game, the Cardinals provided news about the status of four of their players, per Katie Woo of The Athletic. Altogether, utility player Brendan Donovan and […]

New York Yankees shortstop Anthony Volpe has been battling a shoulder injury. Nevertheless, Yankees GM Brian Cashman staked a claim that he was still his shortstop, per Chris Kirschner of The Athletic.  “Yeah, I think he’s a good player, Boone said. “This year notwithstanding, I think he’s got a lot of positive abilities and, this […]

For all the talk about Luka Doncic at EuroBasket, Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun was not to be forgotten. His efforts helped lead Turkey past Poland and onto the semifinals.  He finished with a triple-double with 19 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists. Additionally, Sengun became the youngest player to achieve a triple-double at EuroBasket […]

With so much drama with Ketel Marte, it’s hard being the Arizona Diamondbacks. On Friday, the Diamondbacks are set to take on the Minnesota Twins on the road in a three-game series.  Meanwhile, Marte is coming off a recent foot injury against the SF Giants on Wednesday. However, he is expected to be in the […]

It’s been an outstanding WNBA season for the veteran A’ja Wilson and rookie Paige Bueckers. Essentially, both of them left an indelible impression as Wilson could win her 4th MVP and Bueckers is likely to be named Rookie of the Year. However, the Associated Press has given them their props, according to Mitchell Hansen of […]

Throughout his career, Mark Cuban became one of the most innovative NBA owners. He helped to elevate the Dallas Mavericks into a championship-winning team and fostered a fan-friendly environment. Along the way, he used data analytics and strategy that enabled him to become a one-of-a-kind owner. One who was accessible and conveyed a common man […]

The Las Vegas Aces are steamrolling, and A’ja Wilson is playing a major role. On Thursday, Wilson surpassed Breanna Stewart for the third-most points scored in a single season at 937. In the process, the Aces finished the regular season with their 16th consecutive game. They defeated the Los Angeles Sparks 103-75 and await the […]

Although Arizona State basketball is bringing back Bobby Hurley as coach, it will do so under a dark cloud. On Thursday, Arizona State was listed among six other schools whose players are under investigation for gambling activities, per Ralph D. Russo of The Athletic. Thirteen basketball players at Arizona State and Temple are being looked […]