Sports News

A real masterpiece by the Buccaneers

Teams that wanted to acquire wide receiver Mike Evans on the free agent market will have to find a new plan.

On Monday, ESPN learned that the veteran had signed a two-year contract extension with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Evans received a contract worth a total of $52 million, of which $35 million is guaranteed.

This is a true feat for the Buccaneers as Evans was considered the best pass catcher on the market.

Despite being 31 years old, Evans remains one of the best in his game, as evidenced by his 1,255 yards and 13 touchdowns last season.

He also managed more than 1,000 yards through the air in each of his 10 NFL campaigns.

Evans, who also won the Super Bowl alongside quarterback Tom Brady in 2021, could therefore spend his entire career in the same formation.

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Chelsea's Sam Kerr faces trial next year over alleged racist harassment

Chelsea and Australia striker Sam Kerr will appear in court next year over alleged racist harassment of a police officer.

The 30-year-old was charged with the offense under Section 4A of the Public Order Act on January 21.

A Metropolitan Police spokesman said the charges “related to an incident involving a police officer responding to a complaint about a taxi ride in Twickenham on January 30, 2023.”

She pleaded not guilty at a hearing at Kingston upon Thames Crown Court on Monday.

Kerr is due to appear in court at Wimbledon Magistrates Court in southwest London on February 1, 2025.

Kerr is out for the remainder of the 2023-24 season after suffering an anterior cruciate ligament injury during a warm-weather training camp in Morocco in January. The Australian captain underwent successful surgery shortly after his injury.

The Athletic reported in January that Kerr had agreed in principle to a contract extension at Chelsea. Your existing contract expires in the summer.

Kerr joined Chelsea in 2019 after leaving the Chicago Red Stars and extended her contract in November 2021. During her time with the Women's Super League side, she scored 99 goals in 128 games, helping them to four WSL titles, three FA Cups and more with two League Cups.

Chelsea39s Sam Kerr faces trial next year over alleged racist

Kerr missed much of the World Cup but scored in the semi-final (Daniela Porcelli/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images)

She represented Australia at the Women's World Cup last summer after being sidelined in the group stage with a calf injury. However, she celebrated a comeback in the knockout round and helped the joint hosts reach the semi-finals, where she had to admit defeat to eventual runners-up England.

“We woke up to this this morning,” Football Australia CEO James Johnson said on Tuesday when asked if Kerr had informed them of the charge.

“Of course this is a very serious accusation. This is about racism and there is no place for racism in our sport.

“At the same time, Sam has rights, natural justice rights, procedural rights that she has to work through and we respect that.”

National coach Tony Gustavsson said he had not yet spoken to Kerr and declined to comment on her position as team captain.

“The only thing I can comment on is my experience and interaction with Sam as a person, as a footballer, and I have only had positive experiences,” he said.

The Athletic has contacted Chelsea for comment.

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The key to Chelsea replacing Sam Kerr is not that Hayes should empower others instead

(Crystal Pix/MB Media/Getty Images)

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Our NHL expert's pick of the day: The Hawks won't be easy prey

We are living through strange times. In fact, the last seven free picks on YouTube have been a bust, which may be the longest drought we've experienced since I was born'I started this initiative five years ago.

Meanwhile, we had an exceptional week with the Premium Picks (published on the MJPicks.com website), ending with 26 wins, 17 losses and 2 draws. This resulted in a return of +4.69 units as only one unit was risked per bet.

In other words, if you had bet $100 on this pick, you would have made a profit of $469 last week. For all my premium picks, join the many others who have already signed up at mjpicks.com.

Let's start the week on a positive note by ending our current slide. Today I like an option called “The Battle of the Teams” supported by one of my National Hockey League (NHL) betting systems.

Let me explain how this system works. We bet on the away team if the following three rules apply: The away team must have decimal odds greater than 2.50; he must have lost at least five games in a row; The local team must have previously lost exactly one game.

The Chicago Blackhawks have now lost six games in a row and currently have a decimal rating of 4.75. This means that the first two criteria are met. Now their opponent in this game, the Colorado Avalanche, has lost exactly once before when they fell 5-1 to the Predators on Saturday night. Therefore, we have to bet on the Blackhawks according to the rules of this betting angle.

However, I don't bet them directly on the odds. It would obviously be dangerous to bet directly against the Colorado Avalanche in this game. With that in mind, my official NHL pick for today, Monday, March 4th, is the Chicago Blackhawks with a point spread of +2.5 (1.87 in decimal odds). You can find these current odds at numerous sports betting providers.

The Blackhawks come into this game having won just once in their last 15 games and are currently on a six-game losing streak. However, they covered the +2.5 spread in 10 of those games, which is 67% of the time. This is the fourth time the two teams have met this season.

The Avs won two of those games, while the Blackhawks had the honor once. One of the main concerns for me is that the Blackhawks really struggled to score against the Avs at Ball Arena. Additionally, Colorado has managed to reach +2.5 in its last three home games.

However, on December 19th of last year, this young Chicago team showed they could be competitive by earning a 3-2 win over the Avs in front of their home fans. Petr Mrazek is expected to start between the posts for the Blackhawks tonight. He has played in 42 games so far this season and has a 13-23-4 record, a .908 save percentage and a 3.04 goals-against average.

I have to be careful quickly. In the unlikely event that Chicago starts Arvid Soderblom instead of Mrazek, I would probably hesitate to take that bet, even with the +2.5 spread. Soderblom played 23 games and won only two. His efficiency percentage is .876, with nearly four goals per game allowed in front of the net. These are terrible numbers. Without a doubt, the Blackhawks' record over the last 10 games looks like a train wreck.

However, you could also say that the Colorado club has made quite a mess of its own given its 5-4-1 record. We expect better from a team that should really be aiming for the Stanley Cup this season. So tonight I'm going to take a chance on the Chicago Blackhawks with a spread of +2.5 points. Have a good day!

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Police are praising former NFL WR Braylon Edwards for saving a man's life during a YMCA attack

Former NFL wide receiver Braylon Edwards intervened Friday to stop an alleged attack on an 80-year-old man in a locker room at a Detroit YMCA, Farmington Hills Police Chief Jeff King said.

“Based on the significant injuries inflicted on the victim, it is clear that Mr. Braylon Edwards’ intervention played a critical role in saving the victim’s life,” King said in a statement. “This is a terrible incident, but Mr. Edwards’ selfless efforts embody the best in our society.”

The incident occurred when a verbal exchange between a 20-year-old man, identified as Malik Ali Smith, and the 80-year-old man led to a physical altercation, leaving the 80-year-old in critical but stable condition local hospital, police said.

Smith was arrested after fleeing the gym. On Monday, authorities charged him with assault with intent to murder, which carries a maximum penalty of life in prison. He was given a $250,000 bond and is being held at the Oakland County Jail in Michigan.

“It has been reported that my client is a violent person, and that is simply not the case,” attorney Christopher Quinn II, who represents Smith, told the Detroit News. “He is a young man and has a history of mental health issues.”

Edwards, 41, told Detroit station WDIV that he went into the locker room and overheard an argument about someone playing music too loudly.

“I’m not paying attention, it’s none of my business,” Edwards said. “The noise escalates and then you hear pushing and shoving – you know what fighting sounds like – you hear a scuffle and a few fists. I heard a dull noise that woke me up. That’s what made me turn back.”

Edwards said he saw the alleged attacker “grab the back of the victim's head by the hair and was about to slam him onto the counter.” Edwards then said he “grabbed the younger man and subdued him.”

Edwards said he was initially unaware that he may have saved the older man's life.

“That’s what you do,” Edwards said. “People go to training, they have a good time, they live 80 years and that’s not their expectation that something might take their life.”

Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald said in a statement: “This was a vicious, senseless attack. I commend the witness who intervened and we will seek justice for this victim.”

Edwards, a college star at Michigan, was selected in the first round by the Cleveland Browns in the 2005 draft. He spent eight seasons in the NFL and also played for the New York Jets, San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks. During his career, he accumulated 359 catches for 5,522 yards and 40 touchdowns.

(Photo: Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images)

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The fairer sex is becoming more and more interested in hunting

Although hunting has long been a male domain, in recent years women have increasingly been registering to obtain their certification to hunt.

The results of the latest hunting training of the Quebec Federation of Hunters and Fishermen (FédéCP) show that women and people under 18 are more represented than these men.

“Women are introduced and it is very beautiful. This is a trend that we have been observing for several years,” explains the association’s general director, Maxime Jean.

“During the pandemic we have seen very interesting numbers as people wanted to work from home again. Certainly the numbers this year are lower than during the pandemic, but when it comes to women and young people, the trend is continuing. If you take this year's numbers and add young people under 18 and women, you get a share of 51% of the total number of firearms hunting courses offered. »

For him, this trend is undoubtedly a very good sign for the future. “As a joke, I told people at home that this meant the end of widow hunting. All the better when amateurs now practice hunting in pairs. All the better if many young people take the courses, because they represent the next generation. I believe these numbers reflect the efforts we have made to popularize the practice of hunting. We also organize different activities every year, such as Fauniqué femme, which have certainly contributed to the birth of this movement. The association has truly democratized the different training courses,” continues the Director General.

Cabana March 5, 2024

The best way to introduce young people to hunting is to take them on a small game hunting trip. Photo provided by FÉDÉCP

MORE FREEDOM

We also have to take into account another very important factor that explains the fact that ladies want to go hunting more and more. You now have the freedom to do so.

Previously, when the man went hunting, the woman stayed at home to look after the children and continue her work. Today the children are grown up and often leave the house. Plus, they've retired, which means they have more free time.

“I think yes, the ladies have more time now, but I also think that they have the taste to do it and accompany their husband on the hunt,” mentions Maxime Jean. I believe that many women, after having the experience of a hunting trip, decide to go further and complete their courses to become professional hunters. »

He also explains that they often went hunting with their children. In fact, we are seeing more and more small families hunting small game.

PAY

If we consult the FédéCP report on the various firearms hunting courses, as well as bows and crossbows, we see that the total results show 54,553 people who have taken courses. This is an average for normal years before the pandemic.

Because some of the training is offered online, it continues to be very popular. In 2023, nearly 15,000 participants completed the Introductory Firearms Hunting Course (ICAF) and 10,032 people completed the Bow and Crossbow Hunting Course.

Across Quebec, the Federation's volunteer instructors, who do exceptional work, have trained more than 24,000 people for the Canadian Firearms Safety Course (CCSMAF) and Restricted Weapons Course. These two parts of the course must be completed in class.

An important fact is that the special wild turkey hunting training attracted 5,608 people. Since regular wild turkey hunting was introduced in spring 2008, more than 82,000 people have experienced this hunt, which is growing in popularity.

The legend of the wild turkey

Cabana March 5, 2024

Screenshot from Facebook, Jacques Houle

The events in Louiseville spread throughout Quebec when these images were broadcast showing a male turkey running after a man.

With the beginning of spring, which we are currently experiencing, this young male appeared to be exhibiting territorial behavior for the mating season. The wild turkey population is over 70,000 individuals. Winter is the number one predator of this species. The depth of snow on the ground will make the difference. The favorable conditions we find enable the species to reproduce without any problems. A female can give birth to 10 to 12 young per year. The population could soon reach peak levels. Perhaps the responsible authorities should consider catching a certain number of females, perhaps as part of a lottery like with roe deer.

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Coby White's career-best night pushes Bulls past Kings – NBC Sports Chicago

Presented by Nationwide Insurance Agent Jeff Vukovich

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The Chicago Bulls opened a four-game series against Western Conference teams with a 113-109 victory over the Sacramento Kings at Golden 1 Center on Monday night.

“This is big,” DeMar DeRozan said. “We have to carry this momentum into the next game.”

Here are 10 observations:

—The Bulls rallied from a 22-point deficit in the third quarter and finished the game with a 9-1 run after Domantas Sabonis fouled out.

“This group continues to fight,” coach Billy Donovan said.

The Bulls have now had three comebacks of at least 21 points this season.

“I just think about the character of the guys in this room,” Coby White said when asked about the team’s resilience. “I have been here for five years. I played with some of these guys. But I just got to know their backgrounds, where they come from, their journeys, their stories and how they are able to fight through adversity just in life. The basketball court is simple. But what a lot of these guys have been through in their lives and how they fought through it and how they seemed to overcome every challenge that came their way and ran through the wall. The character of this space is what makes this basketball team resilient.

—White scored a career-high 37 points, his first 30-point game since Feb. 14. He shot 14 of 19 after failing to make an attempt in the first quarter. White also had seven assists in a strong all-around game. It's White's seventh 30-point game this season, matching his point total in his first four seasons.

“I just tried to let the game come to me,” White said. “Ayo (Dosunmu) did really well in the first quarter. He was really aggressive when things were going downhill, snapping and shooting. So I just tried to play off him and let him do his thing. And then when my chances came, I wanted to take advantage of it. I didn’t try to force anything.”

Here too, White reached his career high of 36 points in January 2021.

“But I also had zero turnovers (that night) and three (Monday),” White said, offering a glimpse into his winning mentality.

—Similarly, DeMar DeRozan attempted just one shot in the entire first half before taking over late and attempting to engineer a comeback win. He scored 19 of his 33 points in the fourth period and finished the game 10 of 12 from the field and 11 of 12 from the line.

“It’s just a feeling,” DeRozan said. “A lot of times it's just me physically or mentally trying to either gather data on how they're playing against us or trying to get the guys going. I have to get into it. It's just because I know myself. At some point I knew I could do it.”

White made sure the recognition extended beyond him and DeRozan.

“It was a team effort,” White said. “Ayo (Dosunmu) played really great. AC (Alex Caruso) had four steals. Julian (Phillips) came in, gave us some great minutes, had a great offense and got to the free throw line after a great ball cut that gave us a layup. Vooch (Nikola Vucevic) with a late tip that gave AC an offensive rebound. Drum (Andre Drummond) was incredible, shielding and getting all the guards downhill. JC (Jevon Carter) too.

“So I don't really look at it as, 'Oh man, me and Deebo are doing this and that.' I consider it a good, solid team win. And I’m proud of our team.”

—The Bulls' defense, which allowed two quarters of 35 or more points, failed as they gave up 24 second-chance points. The uphill feeling permeated the entire game. Seemingly every time the Bulls made up a significant deficit, they allowed an offensive rebound and gave up second-chance points. But Sabonis' foul seemed to energize the defense, which made big stops late.

Sabonis missed his first six shots and didn't score until the 3:40 mark of the second, but finished the game with 18 points and 19 rebounds, extending his double-double streak to 43 games. But Sabonis, who leads the NBA with 56 double-doubles, was fouled with 2:57 left.

—For the third game in a row, Nikola Vucevic showed great frustration. He threw a towel on the bench as he left the court during a timeout in the third quarter, minutes after he was whistled for two fouls, including a foul in transition. This came after he was sent off for a flagrant foul against Milwaukee and after Vucevic also hit the bench with a towel several times in frustration following a foul in the second overtime win against Cleveland.

—The Bulls continued to show the ups and downs that have characterized their season. They went on a 17-1 run to close out the first quarter, didn't make a single field goal in the final 3:52 of the game, and finished the quarter with eight field goals and six turnovers. Alex Caruso missed all seven shots in the first quarter, including five three-pointers. But then they opened the second quarter with a 9-0 run, including seven quick points from White, who made his first three shots, including a dunk against Harrison Barnes.

—The Bulls extended their run to 22-5 over the course of the second quarter and erased a 14-point deficit to take the lead. Caruso was all over the place on defense and had three steals in that span. White scored 13 points in the period. But the Kings ended the second period with an 8-0 run and went into halftime with a seven-point lead. DeRozan only scored one in the first half.

—De'Aaron Fox returned after missing two games due to a bruised knee and finished the game with 20 points and 10 assists. Ayo Dosunmu drew the lion's share of what was always a difficult game. However, that didn't stop Dosunmu from scoring seven of the Bulls' first nine points without a miss and finishing with 20 points.

—Julian Phillips served as the sixth man in a crucial role for the Bulls. Terry Taylor, Onuralp Bitim and Phillips have all served in this role recently. Phillips finished the game with six points and one rebound as the Bulls' bench provided very little. Phillips had a good fourth quarter and scored all of his points.

—In fact, Donovan mostly fell short against the Kings in an attempt to thwart a potent offense that relied largely on scoring at the rim. Phillips, Bitim and even Jevon Carter stepped up ahead of Andre Drummond in a rare first-quarter stint. And the double-big cast of Drummond and Vucevic never appeared. Donovan always deployed four guards or wings around one of the big men.

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NHL: A rarity for the “Yotes”

The Arizona Coyotes won their second straight game on Sunday for the first time since Jan. 22, defeating the Capitals 5-2 in Washington.

The Yotes defeated the Ottawa Senators on Friday, ending a streak of 14 consecutive losses. The Arizona club has tasted the joy of victory just seven times in a row since hostilities began in 2023-2024.

In today's duel, Dylan Guenther led the way with one goal and two assists. He started his game with a great relay that allowed Logan Cooley to score first in the first period.

In the second period, the Coyotes' first-round pick (ninth overall) in the 2021 draft took part in Jason Zucker's power play success and also took advantage of the Caps' indiscipline to put the puck into the net.

It is the first time in his young career that Günther has collected three points in a game. The other goals for the winner were the work of Michael Kesselring and Nick Schmaltz (empty goal).

The Capitals' answer came from the bats of Sonny Milano and Anthony Mantha. In the case of the Quebecer, it was his 20th goal of the current season. This is the first time since 2018-2019 that he has recorded at least 20 hits in the same season.

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Jason Kelce cries as he announces his NFL retirement

Down Angle Symbol A symbol in the form of an angle pointing downwards. Philadelphia Eagles' Jason Kelce cried as he announced his retirement from the NFL. AP Photo/Matt Rourke

  • Jason Kelce announced his retirement from the NFL in a press conference on Monday.
  • The Philadelphia Eagles center thanked his family and team for their support throughout his 13-year career.
  • Travis Kelce also couldn't hide his emotions during his brother's speech, even though he was wearing sunglasses.

Jason Kelce announced his retirement from the NFL during a press conference on Monday — and he was five seconds into his speech before he started crying.

“Thanks for coming, guys. We’ll see how long this lasts,” Kelce said before becoming overwhelmed with emotion.

“Not a good start, here we are,” he said, according to the video, after taking a few moments to compose himself.

Jason Kelce holds back tears as he announces his retirement during an NFL press conference on Monday. AP Photo/Matt Rourke

The Philadelphia Eagles center gave a 40-minute speech during the conference and thanked everyone around him for their support during his 13-year career with the team.

Kelce's wife, parents and younger brother Travis Kelce were all in attendance, according to ESPN.

Despite wearing sunglasses, the Kansas City Chiefs tight end also couldn't hide his emotions during his brother's speech, photos show.

Travis Kelce, Donna Kelce, Ed Kelce and Kylie McDevitt Kelce listen as Jason Kelce announces his retirement at an NFL press conference. AP Photo/Matt Rourke

“We have a small family, no cousins, an aunt, an uncle. It’s actually been my brother and I our whole lives,” Kelce said. “We did almost everything together – competed, fought, laughed, cried and learned from each other. We invented games and imagined ourselves as star players of the time.”

Kelce added that there was “no chance” he would be where he is today without the bond he shared with his younger brother.

“It made me stronger, tougher and smarter and taught me the values ​​of cooperation, loyalty, patience and understanding,” Kelce said. “It is only too poetic that my career was fulfilled in the City of Brotherly Love. I knew this relationship all too well.”

Jason Kelce's wife, Kylie McDevitt Kelce, listens to him during an NFL football press conference where he announces his retirement. AP Photo/Matt Rourke

During the speech, Kelce also thanked his wife Kylie, who was by his side.

“Every award I’ve ever received has been with me in my life. “She brought out the best in me through love, dedication, support, honesty, intelligence and of course the quick kick from time to time,” Kelce said, according to the video. “She also gave me three beautiful girls and a life that is increasingly more fulfilling off the field than on it.”

Rumors of Kelce's retirement first surfaced in January after the Eagles lost 32-9 to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the wild-card playoffs.

League sources told ESPN at the time that Kelce informed his teammates in the locker room after the game of his plans to retire. NFL Networks Mike Garafolo also posted the news on X.

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