Category: Mini-Editorials

Oregon State vs. Washington State prediction, odds, pick, how to watch College Football Week 4 game

September 22, 2023

The 14th ranked Oregon State Beavers are in hostile territory to take on the 21st ranked Washington State Cougars. This game will continue our college football odds series as we hand out an Oregon State-Washington State prediction and pick. We will also let you know how to watch the game.

Oregon State has started the season off 3-0, but they have not had any real tests yet. They have beaten San Jose St, UC Davis, and San Diego St, so the competition has been weak. However, good teams crush the bad teams, and that is exactly what they have done. Clemson transfer D.J Uiagalelei has led the Beavers this season. He has passed for 630 yards, six touchdowns, and he has rushed for four touchdowns, as well. Damien Martinez has been unstoppable on the ground for Oregon State. He has averaged 8.8 yards per carry, and he has a touchdown, as well.

Washington State is also 3-0. Their schedule has been a little bit tougher, though. They opened up with Colorado State on the road, then beat Wisconsin at home, and they just crushed Northern Colorado last week. Cameron Ward has been very good at the helm for the Cougars. He has thrown for 986 yards in the three games, nine touchdowns, and he has not thrown an interception. Washington State does not really have a ground attack, but Dylan Paine, and Nakia Watson have combined to rush for 167 yards this season.

Here are the college football odds, courtesy of FanDuel. 

College Football Odds: Oregon State-Washington State Odds

Oregon State: -3 (-110)

Washington State: +3 (-110)

Over: 58.5 (-110)

Under: 58.5 (-110)

How to Watch Oregon State vs. Washington State

TV: Fox

Stream: Fox Sports app

Time: 7 PM ET/4 PM PT

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Why Oregon State Will Cover The Spread

Washington State does not have a great running game. Their quarterback is the leading rusher with 95 yards in the three games. However, Ward is very good in the air. Luckily, Oregon State has been good on defense this year. They have just two interceptions, but they are holding opposing teams to just 202.3 pass yards per game this season. They are also holding teams to less than 60 rush yards per game. The Beavers need their pass defense to really lock in for this game. If they can put pressure on Ward, and stay tough on their coverage, Oregon State will cover the spread.

Offensively, Oregon State has a pretty balanced attack. Uiagalelei has the best matchup, though. Washington State allows 268.3 pass yards per game this season. Washington State’s run defense has been pretty good, so this game will be won in the air. If Uiagalelei can have another good game, the Beavers will cover the spread.

Why Washington State Will Cover The Spread

This game is up to Ward. It will be good defense against good offense. Ward has been one of the best passing quarterbacks in college football this season, and he takes care of the ball. Ward will need to be at the top of his game in this one. He may not need to pass for 400 yards, but he will have to get above 250. The run game has been weak, so Washington State needs their passing game to crush again. If Ward can find a way to make sure his pass attack stays consistent and good, the Cougars will cover the spread.

Final Oregon State-Washington State Prediction & Pick

This is going to be a tough game. Oregon State is a more balanced team, but winning on the road in college football is one of the hardest things to do. This is a very tough call, but I am going to put my trust in Cameron Ward and the Cougars at home as underdogs.

Final Oregon State-Washington State Prediction & Pick: Washington State +3 (-110), Over 58.5 (-110)

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Mets vs. Phillies prediction, odds, pick, how to watch – 9/22/2023

September 22, 2023

We are set to bring you a prediction and pick for Friday’s slate of MLB action as we head over to the National League East for this next matchup. The New York Mets (71-82) will see the Philadelphia Phillies (84-69) for the second game of their four-game series. Check out our MLB odds series for our Mets-Phillies prediction and pick.

The New York Mets are currently fourth in the NL East and sit 27 games back of the lead. They won’t have a chance to make the playoffs this season and it’s been another frustrating year for Mets fans. They’re on an upswing at 6-4 in their last 10 games, but they lost last night’s game by a close margin. Look for them to get back here as Tylor Megill (RHP) gets the start.

The Philadelphia Phillies are currently second in the NL East and trail the Braves by 14 games. They’re favorites to lock up the National League Wild Card and they’ll have to finish the season strong to ensure momentum heading into the Postseason. They’re also 6-4 in their last 10 and look to get a leg-up on this series. Taijuan Walker (RHP) will be their starter.

Here are the Mets-Phillies MLB odds, courtesy of FanDuel. 

MLB Odds: Mets-Phillies Odds

New York Mets: +1.5 (-154)

Philadelphia Phillies: -1.5 (+128)

Over: 9 (-118)

Under: 9 (-104)

How To Watch Mets vs. Phillies

TV: Regional Coverage

Stream: MLB.TV, Apple TV+

Time: 7:05 p.m. ET/ 4:05 p.m. PT

*Watch MLB games LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*

Why The Mets Could Cover The Spread

The Mets have had a frustrating year from all sides of the bag. They’ve have identity issues with their pitching staff ever since the departures of Max Scherzer and Jacob deGrom, and their bats haven’t been doing much better. However, they’ve seen a slight uptick in production over the last 10 games and they’ve been able to outscore opponents by 24 runs. They’re hitting .276 during that stretch, but they’d like to see their road record improve at just 32-46.

Tylor Megill (8-8) will start with a 4.94 ERA through 113 innings of work. The Mets lost a close game in his last start, but he managed back-to-back wins and a five-inning scoreless outing during this recent stretch. If he can pitch with confidence like he has at points on the road this season, the Mets could have a good chance to bounce back after their close loss yesterday.

Why The Phillies Could Cover The Spread

The Phillies saw a great game out of Nick Castellanos last night as he set a single-season RBI record for his personal career. He drove in four of their five runs last night and lifted them in what was a close game throughout. With Castellanos getting hot at the perfect time, the Phillies will need just a few more players and pitchers to hit their stride before they become a scary team in the playoffs. Look for them to have another solid performance at home as they try to even this season series against the Mets at four games a piece.

Taijuan Walker (15-5) will start behind his 4.40 ERA through 159.3 innings of work. He’s been one of the most consistent aces in the National League and he’ll give the Phillies a massive edge on the mound at home. He has, however, struggled in his last two starts and gave up a combined 10 earned runs through two losses. Expect this to be a massive get-back game for Walker as he dials in before the Wild Card.

Final Mets-Phillies Prediction & Pick

This should be another exciting game as both teams are playing solid ball right now. The Mets will have the advantage with the hotter hitting, but the Phillies will be marching out the best pitcher in their lineup. If the matchup was a bit different, we may have sided with the Mets and their hitting. However, it’s hard to bet against Taijuan Walker at this point of the season and hopefully he’ll continue to cash for the Phillies.

Final Mets-Phillies Prediction & Pick: Philadelphia Phillies (-162)

The post Mets vs. Phillies prediction, odds, pick, how to watch – 9/22/2023 appeared first on ClutchPoints.

Packers: 2 bold predictions for Week 3 game vs. Saints

September 22, 2023

The Green Bay Packers’ Week 3 game against the New Orleans Saints features the smallest point spread on the upcoming schedule. Ahead of the Packers-Saints game, our Packers Week 3 predictions suggest that Green Bay is poised to hand New Orleans its first loss of the 2023 season.

The Packers are looking to rebound from a tough loss at the hands of the Atlanta Falcons. Green Bay blew a 12-point lead in the fourth quarter, coming up just short it a 25-24 defeat. The Packers’ 2023 season opener couldn’t have gone any better. Green Bay blew out the Chicago Bears 38-20 on the road in a game that was more one-sided than the final score even indicated.

The Saints are in a three-way tie atop the NFC South after a 2-0 start. New Orleans escaped with a 16-15 win over the Tennessee Titans in Week 1. In Week 2, the Saints spoiled Bryce Young’s first home start by beating the Carolina Panthers 20-17.

Green Bay is a slight favorite in its first game at Lambeau Field. The Packers are laying 1.5 points against the Saints at FanDuel Sportsbook. The betting odds suggest that the two teams are just about even on a neutral field.

Let’s make our bold Packers Week 3 predictions. Note that these are bold predictions. It isn’t likely that every prediction will come to fruition, but they have a better chance of occurring than what the odds indicate.

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2. Green Bay Packers QB Jordan Love will throw three touchdown passes

It’s certainly not crazy to predict Jordan Love to have three touchdown passes, especially given what he’s done since becoming the Packers’ starting quarterback. Love had three touchdown passes in Week 1, and then he did it again in Week 2. With the Saints’ defense on the schedule, the feat is expected to be much harder to achieve. But there are reasons to believe Love will get it done.

New Orleans’ pass defense has been nothing short of fantastic to start the season. The Saints held the Titans without a touchdown. The Panthers finally got in the end zone with a little over a minute left against New Orleans and the game largely out of hand. Part of the Saints’ defensive success can be attributed to their opponents. The Packers will prove to be a much bigger test for New Orleans, and it’ll show in the final score.

Love hasn’t exactly looked like the second coming of Aaron Rodgers. The quarterback has taken advantage of the position that he’s been put in by Matt LaFleur. Love had three touchdown passes without Aaron Jones, Christian Watson and David Bakhtiari in Atlanta. There’s a chance that all three players could be on the field when Love plays his first home game of the year.

1. The Packers defense will have two interceptions against New Orleans Saints QB Derek Carr

Green Bay might have the better quarterback in Sunday’s Packers-Saints game. It’s not an opinion many would’ve shared this offseason when Love was a giant question mark and Carr was being hailed as a significant offseason addition. Despite the Saints’ perfect record, Carr’s start in New Orleans has been shaky. It might not get any better in a hostile environment in Week 3.

Carr’s 305 passing yards in his Saints’ debut only produced 16 points. The quarterback played poorly in Carolina. New Orleans won the game in spite of their quarterback. A great catch by Chris Olave and a strong defensive effort allowed the Saints to overcome Carr’s 65.5 passer rating. Carr has thrown an interception in each of his first two games.

Dating back to last year, Carr has been intercepted 11 times in his last seven games. The Packers picked off Justin Fields and Desmond Ridder. Don’t be surprised if Green Bay forces Carr to commit multiple turnovers.

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Jimmy Garoppolo’s net worth in 2023

September 22, 2023

Jimmy Garoppolo’s net worth in 2023 is $55 million. Garoppolo is a veteran quarterback playing in his 10th season in the NFL. After spending three years as the backup of Tom Brady, Garoppolo became the starting quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers, reaching the Super Bowl in the 2019 season. In 2023, the Las Vegas Raiders brought Garoppolo in as their starter. Let’s dig into Jimmy Garoppolo’s net worth in 2023.

Jimmy Garoppolo’s net worth in 2023 (estimate): $55 million

 

Jimmy Garoppolo net worth, Jimmy Garolppolo, Jimmy Garoppolo net worth 2023

Jimmy Garoppolo’s net worth in 2023 is $55 million. This is according to numerous outlets, including Celebrity Net Worth.

Garoppolo was born in Arlington Heights, Ill., in 1991. He played high school football and baseball in Rolling Meadows, Ill., and almost became a professional baseball pitcher. Fortunately, he chose to pursue football at the next level after his successful stint as quarterback for his high school. He did not get much attention from elite colleges, so he attended Eastern Illinois.

Garoppolo spent four years at this relatively small college and played well there. He won numerous awards, especially during his last couple of seasons in college. He broke the record for career pass completions, previously held by Tony Romo.

Jimmy Garoppolo is drafted by the Patriots

Upon entering the 2014 NFL Draft, he was not rated as a star quarterback prospect. Thus, Garoppolo fell to the 62nd pick and went right into the hands of the New England Patriots. The Patriots had Tom Brady but needed a backup and a potential replacement. In his first season, Jimmy G featured in six games. All six appearances were due to huge leads held by the Patriots, which made coach Bill Belichick rest Brady. Notably, Garoppolo linked with Rob Gronkowski for a touchdown on his first drive.

Garoppolo won a Super Bowl in his rookie season. The Patriots played the Seattle Seahawks in the Super Bowl and won by four points. Garoppolo was, according to USA TODAY Sports, credited with helping the defense prepare for Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson.

Garoppolo’s next season was not as notable, but in his third season with the Patriots, he did get a limited opportunity. Due to Deflategate, the scandal in which Tom Brady was included, Garoppolo was made a starter for a few games. He played well in the first two, but a shoulder injury at the end of the second game sidelined him for the next two games. As he came back, so did Brady, and that was, more or less, the end of his Patriots stint. He did win one more ring that season but did not play in the playoffs.

Jimmy Garoppolo is traded to the 49ers

During the 2017 season, he was traded to the San Francisco 49ers. His best success with the 49ers came during the 2019 run to the Super Bowl, where the squad ultimately fell to the Kansas City Chiefs. Garoppolo became a starter almost right away before he solidified his place in that 2019 season.

He signed a five-year extension with the 49ers in February 2019, worth around $137.5 million. Unfortunately for him, his 2020 season was cut short to just six games, and the 49ers drafted young quarterback Trey Lance in the 2021 NFL Draft to be the quarterback of the future.

Jimmy Garoppolo signs with the Raiders

On March 17, 2023, the Las Vegas Raiders signed Garoppolo to a three-year, $67.5 million contract. The signing reunited Garoppolo with head coach Josh McDaniels, who coached him in New England.

Jimmy Garoppolo endorsements

Garoppolo’s endorsements include Nike, Jordan Brand, Bose, New Era, and Men’s Wearhouse. He also wore Levi’s jeans in a GQ spot in 2019. Both his endorsements and lucrative contracts have contributed to a considerable net worth.

Were you at all stunned by Jimmy Garoppolo’s net worth in 2023?

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Airship: Kingdoms Adrift Release Date – Gameplay, Story, Details

September 22, 2023

Take to the skies and become its ruler. Here are the details for Airship: Kingdoms Adrift, including its release date, gameplay, and story.

Airship: Kingdoms Adrift Release Date – September 21, 2023

Airship: Kingdoms Adrift comes out on September 21, 2023. It is available on PC via Steam.

Airship: Kingdoms Adrift Gameplay

This game is a sandbox ship simulation where players embark on an adventure across the skies. It focuses a lot on airship trading and combat. With over 70 known settlements, players will have a wide variety of places to go to to trade with people, as well as fight with them.

To do so, players will of course have to modify their airships. This includes changing up their armaments, engines, armor pieces, and more. Players will have access to over thirty airships, each with their own strengths and weaknesses. This includes agile sailing vessels, to tanky dreadnoughts with lots of firepower. Of course, this applies not just to your own ship, but also to all the ships in your fleet.

Once you have customized and upgraded the ships on your fleet, head over to the aforementioned 70 locations to trade with its inhabitants. With over 300 types of trade goods, ranging from construction materials to food, and maybe even some contraband, players can make a killing if they play their cards right.

Speaking of killing, it’s not all peace when it comes to sailing the skies. During their travels, players can run into one of more than 500 handcrafted encounters. This includes pirates, rivaling merchants, local military forces, and more. How you deal with these encounters depends on you. Fight and sink their ships, or try to manage things peacefully. The choice is yours.

Other than that, players can also head into the game’s multiplayer mode, allowing them to fight in 1v1 or 3v3 against other players. Players can modify the rules, maps, and even the budget limits in each match to create challenges.

In terms of general gameplay, the game switches between text-based conversations and negotiations, and 3D gameplay. During the conversations, players will be able to see the character art of the people talking, while also making some choices at certain points. While in the 3D gameplay, players will be able to enjoy the game’s beautiful world, as well as the fully modeled ships during their travels. Players will be able to watch the battles in real-time and watch as their ship sinks the enemy, or sink themselves.

Airship: Kingdoms Adrift Story

The game is set in the steampunk world of Spheara. A Great Sky War between the Aecerlian Kingdom, the New Viridian Republic, and the Teutonic Confederation wrecks the world. After years of fighting, the war ends with an uneasy cease-fire between the three factions. Now, with the war over, the various soldiers and skyfarers of the land find themselves without jobs.

You are one of those captains who find yourself without a job. However, you still need to earn your keep. This is when you receive a commission to establish a trading company in the Suthseg Archipelago. This frontier, ruled by an old, aging king, did not feel the effects of the war. As such, its lands are filled with resources, riches, and boundless opportunities. It is now up to you to create a flourishing trading company in the Suthseg Archipelago and ensure its future.

That’s all the details we have for Airship: Kingdoms Adrift, its release date, gameplay, and story. Check out our gaming news articles for the latest in gaming news.

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Ole Miss football: 4 bold Rebels predictions for Week 4 vs. Alabama

September 22, 2023

The Ole Miss Rebels will meet the Alabama Crimson Tide in what looks to be a loaded Week 4 slate of games. What makes this matchup of value is that it will once again be Nick Saban facing one of his former assistants in Lane Kiffin. Saban has already lost to one former assistant this season in Steve Sarkisian; will Kiffin be another?

Kiffin has never beaten Saban to date, going 0-4 against the future Hall of Fame head coach. One was before Kiffin was Saban’s offensive coordinator at Alabama, going back to 2009 when he was the head coach of the Tennessee Volunteers. Even early in his head coaching career, Kiffin took a Volunteers team into Tuscaloosa and only lost by two points after Tennessee missed a 44-yard field goal blocked by Alabama defender Terrence Cody, giving the Crimson Tide a 12-10 victory.

Since that time, Kiffin and Ole Miss have been beaten and outscored in their last three outings, 135-93. But even before Kiffin, Ole Miss hadn’t fared well, having lost a total of seven of their last meetings. The one slight silver lining in that is the last time Ole Miss football beat Alabama back in 2015 was in Tuscaloosa. The Rebels will be back there on Saturday, where they will hope to beat a reeling Alabama football team that’s already lost one and looked possibly worse in a win in the following game against South Florida last weekend. Can Kiffin and Ole Miss finally do it? If there’s any year, this one seems like a good one. Let’s get into some Ole Miss football Week 4 predictions.

4. Ole Miss has more rushing yards than Alabama

Alabama has been known for their strong stable of running backs over the years. Just go look at some of the past Heisman winners since Saban took over the program. But on Saturday, Ole Miss will rush for more yards than the Crimson Tide.

Ole Miss football is averaging almost 200 yards of rushing per game, Team Rankings. Just last week, the Rebels had just a yard shy of 300 yards against Georgia Tech, with most of that coming from quarterback Jaxson Dart. Dart rushed for 136 yards and two touchdowns, not to mention his 251 yards and one touchdown through the air. Alabama has a bad history with rushing quarterbacks.

3. Ole Miss continues the bad trend for Alabama’s offensive line

There are a number of surprising things about Alabama this season, but what may be most surprising is how horrendous their offensive line play has been. Alabama has surrendered an unbelievable 12 sacks this season in just three games. Ole Miss will definitely look to take advantage and exploit that. Granted, they’ll now have to deal with a more mobile quarterback in Jalen Milroe. The Longhorns were able to sack Milroe five times; however, the Ole Miss defensive front isn’t that of Texas.

South Florida also recorded five sacks on two Alabama quarterbacks last Saturday not named Milroe. Milroe can at least make some moves out of the pocket and avoid defenders; it’s when he starts looking downfield that is the problem. Ole Miss still has a field day, getting four sacks.

2. Ole Miss football gets an early lead

There’s a good chance that Kiffin is going to have his Rebels’ team amped for this game. Most teams in the country now see a wounded Alabama team that is unlike those of past years. The Rebels have all the capabilities to start hot and fast against Alabama, getting them off track early. Kiffin has already made some peculiar remarks concerning the Crimson Tide defense. Ole Miss takes an early lead by 10 or more going into the half.

1. Kiffin gets his win — Ole Miss beats Alabama

If indeed Ole Miss does get that early lead, they likely win the game. Alabama doesn’t look like a team this year that can play from behind. They couldn’t against Texas. The Longhorns ended up controlling that game throughout and never let up. The Rebels will need a similar approach if they want to beat the Crimson Tide. As difficult as it is to still count Alabama out, this really does feel like a year where they are a 2-3 loss team. Of course, that could change and change quickly, starting with Ole Miss. But I don’t think that happens. Kiffin finally gets his victory over Saban, thus making every delusional Alabama fan call for Saban’s head while simultaneously seeking Kiffin as his replacement in the process.

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New York Liberty: 2 bold predictions for WNBA Playoffs vs. Sun

September 22, 2023

With the New York Liberty’s 2023 WNBA Playoffs series coming up against the Connecticut Sun, the world will be watching to see if the Liberty can live up to their preseason billing as the biggest threat to the Las Vegas Aces’ throne. Ahead of that series, we’ll be making our Liberty predictions.

It was a whirlwind of an offseason for the Liberty as they revamped their roster in order to move into championship contender status this season. They already had two-fifths of their All-Star quintet in place with Sabrina Ionescu and Betnijah Laney. They added the other three by signing Breanna Stewart and Courtney Vandersloot in free agency and trading for Jonquel Jones.

The Liberty were challenged in the first round of the WNBA Playoffs against the Washington Mystics. The Mystics were a team that dealt with injuries all season but played scrappy and tough and they gave the Liberty a grueling two games in their series.

The Liberty’s WNBA Playoffs series against the Sun is not set to tip-off until Sunday, but let’s move on to our Liberty predictions.

2 The New York Liberty bench will outplay their counterparts by a wide margin

The Liberty may have plenty of star power, but part of what’s made them such a dangerous team is the type of production they’ve gotten off their bench this season. The Liberty had two players who legitimately could’ve been in the Sixth Woman of the Year race in Marine Johannes and Kayla Thornton despite what the official voting tally looked like.

Thornton in particular was a throw-in, in the Jonquel Jones trade, but she’s proven herself to be one of the Liberty’s most important players this season. Helping anchor the second unit alongside those two is Stefanie Dolson who was a key member of the Chicago Sky’s 2021 championship team. Dolson has settled into her reserve role after being a starter last season and she provides the Liberty with additional size.

Between those three players, the Liberty have a strong mix of both offense and defense off their bench. Johannes and Thornton could be starters on other teams. The Sun bench is no joke either. They had a potential Sixth Woman of the Year candidate themselves in DiJonai Carrington alongside Tyasha Harris and Olivia Nelson-Ododa. Harris was the Sun’s third leading scorer in the first round of the WNBA Playoffs against the Minnesota Lynx.

In the playoffs, games often come down to role players and the Liberty’s group have been able to give a little more punch throughout the season. Their overall production may have taken a hit in the first round against the Mystics, but this is the series where they start playing like their regular season selves again.

1 Jonquel Jones will be the New York Liberty’s best player through their series against the Connecticut Sun

As mentioned before, this Liberty team has no shortage of star power. Breanna Stewart is an MVP candidate and Sabrina Ionescu has been one of the most explosive players in the league this season. But the one player who has seen her production take a bit of hit has been Jonquel Jones.

Jones actually joined the Liberty before their major free agent haul. A former MVP and four-time All-Star, this was the first season in the past four that Jones was not selected to the All-Star team. Jones spent the early part of the season trying to find her rhythm with this Liberty team, and she was one of the key reasons why they were able to hold off the Mystics.

Jones was the Liberty’s second-leading scorer in their WNBA Playoffs series against the Mystics and there’s no reason why she can’t replicate that feat against the Sun. The Sun’s biggest answer to stopping Jones was her former teammate Brionna Jones who was lost for the season with an ACL injury.

The Sun frontline of Alyssa Thomas and DeWanna Bonner has been stellar all season but they just don’t have the size to contend with Jones. Stewart will likely be the one having to matchup with Bonner and Ionescu and Betnijah Laney will have to contend with the defense of Natisha Hiedeman and Tiffany Hayes. Jones is the perfect player to have a big series for the Liberty.

It’s up to the rest of the team to establish her early and continue to feed the post throughout the series. It will go a long way towards the Liberty defeating the Sun and advancing to the WNBA Finals.

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Dallas Wings: 2 bold predictions for WNBA Playoffs vs. Aces

September 22, 2023

With the Dallas Wings 2023 WNBA Playoffs series coming up against the defending champion Las Vegas Aces, everyone will be watching to see if they can dethrone the reigning champs. Ahead of that series, we’ll be making our Wings predictions.

While the Aces, New York Liberty and Connecticut Sun have been the consistent top three teams all season, the Wings have quietly pushed themselves into the conversation for dark-horse championship contender. Only four teams in the league finished with a winning record in the regular season and the Wings were one of them along with the aforementioned teams.

The Wings are coming off an impressive two game sweep of the Atlanta Dream in the first round of the WNBA Playoffs. They feature two of the best players in the league in Arike Ogunbowale and Satou Sabally. They were consistently one of the top offensive teams in the WNBA and under new head coach Latricia Trammell, they’ve been a solid defensive team as well.

The Wings WNBA Playoffs series against the Aces is not set to tip-off until Sunday, but let’s move on to our Wings predictions.

2. The Dallas Wings will have the size to contend with Las Vegas Aces star A’ja Wilson

The Aces come into this series with arguably the best player in the WNBA right now in the reigning MVP A’ja Wilson. Wilson is coming off a historic performance in Game 2 of the Aces first round playoff series to eliminate the Chicago Sky. She’s one of the frontrunners once again for the MVP award.

All season long and into the playoffs, no team in the league has had an answer for her. The Wings could have an answer to that. They have a twin towers combination of sorts in the paint with Teaira McCowan in the starting lineup and Kalani Brown off the bench. It’s highly likely that both players will see plenty of time guarding Kiah Stokes instead of Wilson. But that doesn’t meant that they can’t make things difficult for Wilson throughout the series.

Back during the beginning of July, the Wings played a home and away set against the Aces and split the two games. In the game the Wings won, Wilson finished with 18 points but shot only 5-13 from the field and had only five rebounds. In comparison, McCowan finished that game with 14 points and 12 rebounds while shooting 7-12 from the field. Brown was not with the team at the time.

With both of them in the lineup, the Wings were the best rebounding team in the league this season. They also have 6-foot-4 Awak Kuier to throw in off the bench. Kuier was a difference-maker off the bench against the Dream. She’s mobile and she averaged 1.5 blocked shots in the first round. Wilson did a lot of her damage in the paint against the Sky, but the Wings have the size to make things difficult for her.

1. Dallas Wings star Satou Sabally will be the best player in the series

Much of the Wings offensive attack centers around Arike Ogunbowale, and rightfully so. She was top-five in the league in scoring and among the only players to average 20+ points this season. But it’s been Satou Sabally who has been the Wings leading scorer in the playoffs so far.

Sabally was just named as the WNBA’s Most Improved Player as she’s been having a career year. It’s the first season she’s been in the league that she’s been fully healthy and she’s living up to her selection as the No. 2 overall pick from the 2020 WNBA Draft. Through the Wings first round WNBA Playoffs series, she’s been averaging 22.5 points per game, 4.5 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 2.5 steals with splits of 50 percent shooting from the field, 50 percent shooting from the three-point line and 100 percent shooting from the free-throw line.

She’s elevated her game from the regular season and she’s showing no signs of slowing down. She’s such a matchup nightmare for opponents in that she can play in the paint and bang around with bigs and she can handle the ball and attack off the dribble while being a consistent shooter from three-point range. She’s bigger than all of the Aces starting wings and that means they might have to put A’ja Wilson on her early, running the risk of Wilson getting into foul trouble.

This is not to say that the Wings will win this playoffs series, only that Sabally is going to end up being the best player on the court more often than not.

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Julie Ertz final U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team game: A look back at Ertz’s career

September 21, 2023

One of the best players in recent memory for the U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team will be playing her final game on September 21st. Julie Ertz is calling it a career. Her last match is an international friendly against South Africa on Thursday night at 4:30 p.m. (PT).

It will be Ertz’s 123rd appearance for the national team, marking the end of a lengthy, decorated tenure wearing red, white and blue. With Ertz’s career coming to a close, let’s take a look back at her magnificent career with the USWNT.

How to watch Julie Ertz’s last game

Julie Ertz and the U.S. Women’s National Team have a friendly against South Africa on September 21. The match will be Ertz’s last before her retirement and signals a new era of women’s soccer.

Date: Thursday, September. 21 | Time: 4:30 p.m. PT

Location: TQL Stadium — Cincinnati, Ohio

TV channel: TNT | Live stream: Peacock

Julie Ertz’s retirement

Ertz will end her career with 123 appearances with the U.S. Women’s National Team. On August 31st, 2023, she announced her impending retirement at a relatively young age of just 31 years old. Ertz still has plenty left in the tank, and she is playing at a high level in 2023.

“It’s not like momma can’t play. Momma can play,” Ertz said, per Chris Burton of GOAL. “She has just adapted [her] priorities.”

Some athletes don’t retire until they are well out of their prime. Ertz is not one of them. She is still one of the best female players in the world. The soccer star decided to retire because of a desire to focus more on her family.

Ertz, originally born Julie Johnston, is married to NFL veteran Zach Ertz, a tight end with the Arizona Cardinals. The couple have a son named Madden, who is just over a year old.

“I think time with my family is just irreplaceable,” Ertz said recently, per Jeff Carlisle of ESPN.  “Especially just with where Madden is and his age.”

Ertz has played in six games for Team USA in 2023, accruing 459 minutes. By retiring, she is also effectively ending her NWSL career. Ertz played with the Chicago Red Stars from 2014-2022 before she signed with Angel City FC this year.

Julie Ertz’s U.S. Women’s National Team career

Ertz has been a key piece to arguably the most important era of the U.S. Women’s National Team’s existence. While the Americans lost in the Round of 16 at the 2023 FIFA World Cup, Ertz’s previous stints in the FIFA World Cup went better. Team USA won the FIFA Women’s World Cup in both 2015 and 2019 with Ertz on the team. The Americans had only won it twice before, and not since 1999.

Ertz has been a standout player for the USWNT  team since her arrival. Playing on the top team since 2013, she was the Athlete of the Year in both 2017 and 2019. She also won U.S. Soccer Young Female Athlete of the Year in 2012, making her the only athlete ever to win Young Female Athlete of the Year and Athlete of the Year awards.

She also appeared in both the 2016 and 2021 Olympic Games. In the 2021 Olympics, Ertz played 525 minutes, the second most in the tournament, helping her country to a bronze medal.

Ertz played in every minute of all seven games in the 2015 World Cup. Her stamina and ability to remain on the field were always some of her best traits. Ertz will also be remembered as a premier defensive player. Her abilities as a defensive midfielder are perhaps unrivaled, but she was also more than capable on the offensive end. The midfielder has 20 career goals and six assists to her name during her U.S. Women’s National Team career.

Ertz isn’t the only USWNT legend hanging up her boots. Longtime teammate Megan Rapinoe’s career is also coming to a close. Rapinoe’s retirement comes after a friendly on Sunday, September 24th, and will signal a new era of women’s soccer in the United States.

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Oklahoma football: 4 bold Sooners predictions for Week 4 vs. Cincinnati

September 21, 2023

The Oklahoma Sooners will welcome the Cincinnati Bearcats into the Big 12 just before they themselves leave for the SEC next season in a Week 4 matchup. The welcoming party, however, will be a road trip for the Sooners, now 3-0, as they travel to Cincinnati to take on the 2-1 Bearcats.

This year’s Oklahoma football team comes in ranked as the No. 16 team in the country where they are likely to face their first bit of competition this season. The Sooners’ football team has all but boat-raced their previous opponents in Arkansas State (73-0), Southern Methodist (28-11), and Tulsa (66-17), giving them the nation’s largest point differential at plus-139. This gives Oklahoma the third-best scoring offense in the country, not to mention the seventh-best scoring defense that’s only given up 28 points all season.

There are some who believe that this year’s Oklahoma team is vastly underrated. That could be the case, but after watching the Sooners go 3-0 during their first three games last season and then losing their next three conference games against Kansas State, TCU, and Texas, finishing the season seventh in the Big 12 and with a 6-7 overall record — they can’t be trusted quite yet.

Brent Venables still has a lot to prove after his first season. Granted, he walked into quite a mess, with a program in shambles after watching their prized head coach and quarterback suddenly just up and leave. Can this year’s Sooner’s football team avoid going on another losing streak? Let’s get into some Oklahoma Week 4 predictions.

4. Oklahoma football gets into a shootout for at least three quarters

Oklahoma was the only team in the country last year with a top-15 offense and yet still had a losing record. That’s because their defense was atrocious. They gave up an average of 461 yards a game and were one of the worst in the country at stopping teams on third down. Even if Cincinnati lost to a much less talented Miami (OH) team last weekend, the Bearcats have averaged 25.5 points per game. Oklahoma did a lot of restructuring to their defense through the portal this offseason, but it has yet to be truly tested. This week has the ability to be that first test.

We know Oklahoma’s quarterback, Dillon Gabriel, can score points, so that’s likely not to be an issue. The over/under in this is 57.5, according to FanDuel, which feels about right.

3. Andrel Anthony has a breakout game

Andrel Anthony is looking like he may be Gabriel’s favorite target moving forward. The Michigan transfer who couldn’t find playing time with the Wolverines seems to be settling in nicely with the Sooners’ high-powered passing offense. So far, Anthony has 14 catches for 254 yards and only one touchdown. Anthony’s production, I believe, is only going to increase as the season goes along, including with this game that could be a bit of a back and forth for a while. Anthony goes for 110 yards and two touchdowns.

2. Oklahoma makes crucial third-down stops to Cincinnati’s offense

As noted, Oklahoma football’s defense couldn’t get off the field last season because they could never stop teams on third down. If you’re looking for proof that this is a different-looking Oklahoma team from last season, the proof will be in that pudding.

1. Oklahoma goes to 4-0

This game will be very pivotal for Oklahoma. Being their first real test and the beginning of conference play, we’ll find out just how real they are. They’ll still have much better competition down the road, but just seeing how they operate on the road against better competition will be telling to see if there is actually real improvement with this team. Oklahoma football continues on a good note for the 2023 season and gets their fourth win, something they couldn’t do until mid-October last season.

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