標籤: didnt

It seems Deion Sanders is very upset that the NFL teams that drafted their top two players from Colorado last year didn’t seek his input on how to best utilize him.

Most football fans are well aware of the fact that Sanders has a very high opinion of himself. He’s a rare two-pro sport athlete who went from being an eight-time Pro Bowler to a Hall of Famer in the NFL and one of, if not the, greatest cornerback of all-time.

Sanders has also built a solid resume as a coach in the college ranks and has helped put Colorado back on the map as a notable program. His greatest success came when he led the Buffaloes to a 9–4 record and his son Shedure Sanders and two-way star Travis Hunter played huge roles in that. Unsurprisingly, both were drafted last year, with the latter being a first-round selection.

However, both of them struggled in their rookie seasons. And it seems Sanders feels it could have been avoided, and would have been poised for an even better sophomore season, if the teams that drafted him, the Cleveland Browns and Jacksonville Jaguars, had asked for his input on how to best utilize him.

Deion Sanders on not getting Browns’ opinion: ‘I don’t understand it’

“I want to meet him,” Sanders told Garrett Bush about new Browns head coach Todd Monken. “Because I think it’s important that as a coach, not as a father, I can tell him some things about [Shedeur]How to take it forward? I wasn’t asked this a year ago. I don’t understand this.

He added, “Even a guy like Travis Hunter is being drafted to Jacksonville, and I’ve had him for the last three years.” “Don’t you think you’d want to talk to me to tell me, to ask me how – what pushes him forward and what holds him back, and what else, like, wouldn’t you like to know?”

Sanders makes a reasonable case. He will know those two players as well as anyone and his insight can be helpful in setting plans for those two players. However, it may be further evidence that Sanders’ adventurous personality has not been welcomed in some NFL circles that the Browns and Jaguars passed up those opportunities.

After earning a journalism degree in 2017, Jason Burgos worked as a contributor to several sites, including MMA Sacca… More about Jason Burgos

Raider Nation is angry again as an unnamed ACC coach told ESPN this week that Fernando Mendoza doesn’t have “NFL qualities.” His receivers made him look much better than that. The back-shoulder thing won’t work in the league. Those throws get picked up in the NFL.

Before you get all upset and take it to the “national media” and take aim at the Raiders again, step back and think a little differently. This time, the media is doing the Raiders, Fernando Mendoza, and their fan base a favor.

Mendoza Criticizes 2025 Nothing Like Shedure Sanders Takedown

Read the anonymous quote a few times. Now ask yourself if this sounds familiar.

Necessary. Almost a year ago, anonymous sources spent the better part of three weeks publicly dismantling Shedure Sanders. Both situations are being framed as parallel cases of pre-draft and post-draft doubt. They are not the same. They’re not even close.

Watching the coverage of Shedure Sanders last season, it was a completely different animal. That effort, fairly or unfairly, was a constant drain on Sanders’ draft stock. Tom Pelissero reported that a longtime NFL assistant coach gave Sanders the worst formal interview of his career, said he behaved appropriately, and said he took unnecessary sacks, among other things. An AFC executive said that Sanders wanted to command the room. An NFC scouting director warned of culture shock upon hitting the real locker room. One scout told Athlon Sports he mailed it every step of the process. A former NFL evaluator went on record with a 26-game film study and an unattainable grade.

Sanders then fell to take 144. Which retroactively validated every anonymous shot taken at him.

This is what a real eviction looks like. multiple sources. Multiple angles. The football, the character, the preparation, the medicals, the whole circus. The criticism was of the story.

Criticism of Fernando Mendoza is an outlier

During the draft process, some people were skeptical of Fernando Mendoza and his ability to translate what he did at Indiana in 2025 to the next level. Don Orlowski’s criticism and critique was perhaps the most publicized example of this type.

This time, ESPN reports, only one coach took aim at Mendoza. a coach. A coach who last saw Mendoza at Cal in 2024, before his signature year and his incredible run to the College Football National Championship. This coach saw him First 41 touchdowns and six interceptions in 2025. They saw him before he became the runaway Heisman Trophy winner. Before he became that guy, four other coaches told the same ESPN reporter that he was either “one of the more complete quarterback prospects” they had seen or someone who “grows up” in those moments that you can’t teach.

Please read the coverage of the ACC coach’s quote and see how it is handled. Bleacher Report ran it ahead of the Big Ten coaches’ praise. Clutch Points called the criticism “a bit unfair”. Hoosier State of Mind kept the word “somehow” in the title. Just Blog Baby went with “completely ridiculous and not supported by its peers”. Comeback speculated that Kirk Cousins ​​might have “some credibility” before heading to the safety net.

No one is treating this as a Sanders moment. Outlets are running the quote so they can include it in the same article.

RELATED: Raiders rookie minicamp 2026: Fernando Mendoza already looks like a boy

Mendoza consensus is much more positive

That’s why the national media, coaches, former players and evaluators talk more positively than negatively about the Raiders’ new franchise quarterback. The wealth of evidence is there. If Fernando Mendoza had serious question marks like Sanders, you’d be hearing it everywhere, but he doesn’t. Mendoza was first in FBS in EPA per dropback last season, second in EPA per dropback on third and fourth downs. Ranked fourth in EPA when tied or trailing in the fourth quarter. He is just a clutch player and the visual evidence is overwhelming.

Mendoza played hurt against Ohio State, came back and won the Big Ten title. He scored the game-winning touchdown in the national championship game. ESPN’s draft scouting report, written by a former college quarterback, identified pocket movement as his real weakness. No back-shoulder throw.

This coward of an ACC coach, who last saw Mendoza at Cal, has some kind of ax to grind. This is clear. He is criticizing a player who no longer exists. 2025 Mendoza completed passes at a different clip, threw to a different level of receivers, ran a different offense, and was asked to do different things. Treating those two players as the same prospect is the analytical equivalent of evaluating a stock based on last year’s performance.

On the bus: #attacker First-round quarterback Fernando Mendoza is training and throwing to Ohio State superstar WR Jeremiah Smith.

They are both Miami natives and potentially top-2 #nfl Draft picks back-to-back.

Future teammates in Las Vegas.

👀 pic.twitter.com/KDQ1a0Am2t

– mlfootball (@mlfootball) 7 May 2026

That doesn’t mean Mendoza is bulletproof or has proven himself in the NFL yet. In fact, he said as much at last week’s rookie minicamp. He knows he has to earn respect and admiration in the NFL by being the best quarterback he can be. Given his conduct, intelligence and track record, how can you doubt him?

As I’ve said before in this area, the Raiders need to develop a young quarterback. It remains to be seen whether this season’s impressive offseason moves and draft performance mean the organization is finally on the right track. The Raiders have unfortunately underperformed with talented players in the past. Inheriting the league’s worst offense by 2025 has a rookie quarterback to do the job, no matter what the consensus board said in April. But framing matters here. An opponent’s old decision is not a referendum.

Sanders had institutional doubts. Mendoza is a man with a chip on his shoulder.

If anything, this ACC coach trying to start a fire proved just how little fuel is needed.

Scott Gulbransen, a quintessential expert in the field of sports journalism, serves as an editor, nfl , mlb , Formula 1 … More about Scott Gulbransen

Austrian coach Adi Hutter has opened up on his decision to step away from coaching until the summer and addressed the link Tottenham Hotspur Which came to light during his break.

talking for 90 minutesThe former Borussia Monchengladbach, Eintracht Frankfurt and AS Monaco coach explains why he rejected several opportunities to move into management, including interest from Tottenham.

Why did Hutter refuse any mid-season jobs?

Adi Hütter is currently a free agent after leaving AS Monaco in October last year. He has been in charge of the Ligue 1 side since July 2023.

They then finished second in their debut season and qualified for the Champions League. Last season he led them to third place and then to the Champions League. However, due to a poor start to the season Monaco decided to go in a different direction.

There has been considerable interest since then, including from Tottenham before the appointment of Roberto De Zerbi. But Hutter admits he had no interest in being a “firefighter.”

“It’s true that you have to process your release from your contract,” He said.

“You have to reflect on why it happened and what you could have done better. It takes time. I really hate playing firefighter.”

He had already turned down the Premier League job as a firefighter with Monaco and this time too he had no interest in it.

“Before going to Monaco, I could have worked as a firefighter in England, but I refused,” He added.

“When you get to a place where things are in crisis, you don’t get the opportunity to develop your playing philosophy over ten or twelve games. You have to take a completely different approach to coaching and managing. It was never what I wanted.”

Tottenham’s interest noted

Various reports link him with the Tottenham job Since he sought a replacement for Igor Tudor. After Adi Hutter went public with his lack of interest, Spurs eventually appointed Roberto De Zerbi.

It was out of character for him anyway, as he admitted he was not one to radiate any interest in his services.

“I have been linked with Lazio and Tottenham Hotspur. Of course, I can say: it is an honor to be the subject of discussion with these clubs.” He accepted.

“I’m not one to broadcast every enquiry, every discussion. It’s not my style, and I don’t think it’s fair to clubs.

“I understand that not every club wants to moderate coaching discussions. That’s why such matters are always discussed internally.”

🇦🇷 Christian Romero | platelet-rich plasma treatment

➡️Tottenham player expert injury recovery
➡️ Argentina wants players to consider national team
💬 “Leo told him: ‘Think about the national team’. When you have to… think a little.”https://t.co/osIY4cNGyk #THFC

– Sports Witness (@Sport_Witness) 14 April 2026

Mauro Zarate has revealed this west ham united Those were the clubs that surprised him the most, as he did not expect their number of fans to be so large.

Zarate talks to Diretta.it this week about his career. lazio we are Report on his comments regarding West Ham.

west ham chant

Mauro Zarate enjoyed a varied career, starting with Vélez Sarsfield in Argentina before moving to Al-Sadd in 2007. A year later he was on loan at Birmingham City before moving to Lazio, Inter Milan and then back to Vélez.

He then joined West Ham in 2014, where he scored seven goals and three assists in 29 games over two seasons, before joining Fiorentina in 2016.

His spell as Hammer is not one that can be described as memorable in any way. But Zarate is happy to admit that West Ham was the club that surprised him the most.

“The best team of my career was Inter, but the one that surprised me the most was West Ham. I was surprised by the number of fans. I didn’t expect such a big club.” He accepted.

a backhanded compliment

Although this statement is quite complimentary, it is a bit of a step back from Argentina. He clearly thought West Ham was a small club and immediately improved it when he arrived.

Fortunately, these are comments that are unlikely to do too much damage to his reputation amongst the West Ham fan base.

He is highly respected by West Ham fans, who remember his individual skills and high-impact goals. They certainly helped hide the inconsistencies in his game and general form.

Mauro Zarate is, perhaps, the definition of a cult icon. And it seems that while he made an impact, the club also made an impact on him. What’s more, in at least one case he has overtaken them over his favorite club Inter.

newcastle united Goalkeeper Odysseas Vlachodimos has been critical of the Premier League team for not keeping his word following his transfer.

The Magpies took the 31-year-old nottingham forest in July 2024 and allowed Elliott Anderson to move in the opposite direction.

The two deals were separate operations, and Anderson is acting for the Reds. On the other hand, the goalkeeper has never had a major role at Newcastle United.

He got 45 minutes for Eddie Howe’s side in the EFL Cup win at AFC Wimbledon in October 2024 and this has been his only appearance for the Tyneside club.

The Greece international came to replace the injured Martin Dubravka and if the latter had not suffered a concussion, he would not have played for the club.

Last season, the manager had Nick Pope, Dubravka, Vlachodimos and Mark Gillespie as stoppers.

Dubravka left as a free agent, while the former Reds man joined Sevilla on a loan deal in August 2025. The other two are still at St James’s Park.

Newcastle United’s transfer assurances not honored

Odysseas Vlachodimos has now given a detailed interview to Athletico in Greece.

get news From the same country he has broadcast some of his comments, including about his transfer to Newcastle United.

The goalkeeper believes that Eddie Howe’s team did not keep their word, which was not good.

“I had a plan. A week before the first match, the plan changed and the things they told me didn’t happen. Despite that, I felt great and so did my family at Newcastle. The idea came in that you have to give something extra every day. That’s what I tried to do,” He said.

“From morning to afternoon, I was in the gym. Every day I wanted to do something different. I was certainly not happy because I was not playing. They told me something else. I was angry, but I worked. After all, I do it for myself, I don’t do it for them. Every footballer wants to play.

“My goal was to go to the World Cup with the national team and that’s what kept me going.”

Contract, price and agent information

Odysseas Vlachodimos’ decision to join Sevilla on loan has allowed him to enjoy regular minutes this season.

His La Liga statistics are as follows:

• Appearances: 26
• Start: 26
• Target Allowed: 43
• Clear Sheet: 4

Last month, he Ignored your future plans Beyond this season. For now, the Greek stopper will return to Newcastle United, where he has a contract until 2028.

transfer market The stopper is valued at €4m, and agency Fair Sport GmbH is representing the Magpies man.

🇩🇪Nick Voltemade | wants everyone to calm down

➡️ Asked directly if he doesn’t suit Eddie Howe’s tactics
➡️ Definitely not trying to rock the boathttps://t.co/rT6xUgGQi0 #nufc

– Sports Witness (@Sport_Witness) 3 April 2026

Odysseus Vlachodimos says he joined nottingham forest To fulfill his Premier League dream.

At the end of August 2023, Nottingham Forest invested approximately €4.9m to sign him from Benfica.

The goalkeeper arrived at the City Ground after spending five years at the Portuguese club.

He played 225 matches, keeping 94 clean sheets and conceding 217 goals, and won two titles with Benfica.

Later that year, the Greece international said he made the right decision to leave Lisbon for the Reds.

At that time, he Said: : “I think it was the right time for me too to take the next step. And I think the next step is the Premier League.

“When I got the offer, it was clear to me too. I wanted to take the next step. I wanted to be in the best league in the world. And I also feel that I have given a lot to Benfica and I think it is the right time to leave.”

Stomper angry at Nottingham Forest

Fast forward to April and Odysseas Vlachodimos has been speaking to Greece’s Athletico to discuss a range of topics.

Monday edition of game Relays the 31-year-old’s comments on his decision to leave Benfica for Nottingham Forest.

“After five years at Benfica, I wanted to take on a new challenge, and the Premier League is every kid’s dream,” He said.

“That opportunity came; other interested teams had emerged before, but the transfer did not happen. Things did not go as I planned, but it helped me become the goalkeeper I am now at Sevilla.

“Contract Renewal [last at Benfica] Came seven months late; It was believed that this would have happened after I did not go [the previous year].

“However, [Benfica president] Rui Costa knew that if something happened to England, I would want to leave.

Stomper’s Nottingham Forest statistics

Steve Cooper was the manager when the goalkeeper joined the Premier League team.

Odysseus Vlachodimos played 660 minutes in seven matches for Nottingham Forest and made five league appearances under Cooper. They conceded 16 goals and kept only one clean sheet.

Nuno Espirito Santo replaced Cooper in December 2023 and did not consider the stopper in the Premier League. In fact, they dropped him from the team for the last 14 league matches.

The Reds sold him to Newcastle United in July 2024, and he struggled for minutes at St James’ Park.

Therefore, the Magpies let him join Sevilla on a season-long loan deal in August 2025. The transfer went very well, but the Spanish club cannot make a permanent deal.

Raheem Sterling has been told to leave football and move to Ibiza with his wife, following his latest disappointing performances for Feyenoord, with his career faltering after Chelsea.

Soccer News reports today on the 31-year-old player. Their Dutch adventure is not going well, and it looks like Feyenoord are tired.

That is certainly the case for Feyenoord legend Willem Van Hanegem. He didn’t back down after watching last weekend’s disastrous classic. Feyenoord drew 1–1 with Ajax in that game, with Sterling again failing to make an impact.

ask for your money back

Sterling has managed just one assist in five games for Feyenoord since arriving on a free transfer in January. And While manager Robin van Persie continues to support himVan Hanegem has seen a lot.

Speaking on the Willem & Wessel podcast, Van Hanegem spoke candidly. Sterling once again failed to make any impact.

“He wasn’t there again, no. If it were me, I’d ask for my money back and say: just go home,” He said.

“You shouldn’t push a player like that. He used to be a good player; he was still fit and fast, but that’s it. If he bumps into you, he falls. Isn’t that crazy?

“You shouldn’t do that yourself as a player. If they lack pace and they have the ball, they go straight over them. It’s pointless.”

Despite the criticism, Van Hanegem is fully hopeful that Raheem Sterling will play a key role in the next game against FC Volendam. He believes this is a decision fans are tired of seeing.

“We’re not looking forward to it, because we’ve already said six times that he’s not that good. I don’t think it’s just us, it’s a lot of people,” he said.

“It won’t work”

Van Hanegem is not alone in his criticism of Raheem Sterling. On the KieftJansenEgmondGijp podcast, René van der Gijp echoed this sentiment, urging Sterling to take control of his future.

“He should go to Robin van Persie and say: let’s stop this. It won’t work.

“This isn’t good for me, for you, or for the club. You’re not really helping anyone with this. He should just go to Ibiza, wear his swimming trunks, and eat delicious paella with his wife.

“Then he would be having a great time. But it won’t work for him now. What a shame.”

Is this the end for Sterling?

In the Netherlands the message seems clear. Raheem Sterling’s time in Rotterdam is becoming increasingly untenable.

Whether the club takes action or Sterling takes matters into his own hands, the sentiment among fans and pundits seems to be much the same. Something has to be given, otherwise disappointment can soon turn into anger.

🇵🇹 Exclusive: Maxi Araújo

⏩Tottenham and Chelsea are in contact
➡️ Source gave information @UllalIBT
➡️There is also further Premier League interesthttps://t.co/K17lRpjlUG #thfc #cfc

– Sports Witness (@Sport_Witness) 22 March 2026

ATLANTA – The Atlanta Hawks had their 11-game winning streak snapped last night against the Houston Rockets in a way they probably didn’t want to. The good news was that he got a chance to get the best taste out of his mouth the next night against the Golden State Warriors. Unfortunately, they had to do it without Jalen Johnson, who was out just hours before the game due to left shoulder inflammation.

In the first half of the game, the Hawks looked like they were missing their best player; Meanwhile, the Warriors were missing two of their best players and that made it interesting. It was the second half where things turned around and the Hawks put on a tremendous performance early in the third quarter, which ultimately helped them win the game by defeating the Warriors 126–110.

Although they were without Johnson, the Hawks got major contributions from several players, and it is something that has helped the team be successful this season.

“I think we’re a team, no matter who’s on the field, and different guys will do different things every night,” Quin Snyder said. “I think our group right now isn’t worried about who’s actually getting credit for the basket. They’re worried about our scoring, and when that happens, your team is better. We want to be greater than the sum of the parts, and when we’re missing a guy like Jalen, who is obviously important to our team, other guys have to pick it up, and it’ll be his turn when he comes back.”

Dyson Daniels did everything for the Hawks in this one, finishing the game with 28 points, seven rebounds and six assists.

“I do a little bit of everything and try to build momentum,” Daniels said. “Defense is where I’ve found my niche in this league, so that’s always going to be my number one, and then being able to push the pace, try and get my feet in the paint, find my teammates, and be able to hit some shots tonight.”

Mohamed Gueye started in Johnson’s place, and like most times this season, when it’s his turn to play a bigger role, he performs well. He couldn’t miss, as he made 6 of 6 shots from the field and finished with 16 points and 10 rebounds.

“Every night is the same for me,” Guay said. “I’m just trying to come in and do my thing. Tonight I was fully prepared with the threes, and I made them, so hopefully next time I’ll be fully prepared as well.”

The third quarter changed the situation for the Hawks and a 25-5 run gave them a 24-point lead. CJ McCollum led the way in the bucket-getting category and scored 13 points in that quarter alone.

“The whole team stepped up defensively and got some stops, and were able to get out and get some easier, better looks,” Snyder said. “Obviously, CJ’s shot-making was really big during that time, too.”

The Hawks went ahead by a lot in the fourth quarter as the Warriors didn’t have enough juice to score in the fourth. With the win, the Hawks are still in the driver’s seat, and with the losses to Miami and Orlando, they still sit at No. 6 in the Eastern Conference standings.

“It was one of those things that we needed and it was a critical time for us,” Daniels said. “We needed a win, so I’m glad we got this win.”

On Tuesday evening, Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo etched his name in the history books with an 83-point outburst against the Washington Wizards. This spectacular performance passed the late Kobe Bryant for the second-highest scoring game in NBA history, behind only Wilt Chamberlain, who had 100.

After the Phoenix Suns’ win over the Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday, Suns guard Collin Gillespie was asked about the historic night for Adebayo, and his answer raised eyebrows.

“I don’t really care,” Gillespie, formerly of X, said on Twitter, according to SunsWorldwide.

On Wednesday, Gillespie posted a tweet apologizing, writing, “No disrespect meant… It had nothing to do with our game or our team… It’s still a historic and great accomplishment for him.”

However, Gillespie has since deleted the post.

Heat fans have been quick to berate anyone attempting to provide context to Adebayo’s historic night on Tuesday, which included more than 40 free throw attempts, and the team kept the star well into garbage time in the game in pursuit of the record.

The final minutes of the game included a bizarre scene in which the Wizards were intentionally lining up Adebayo’s teammates to prevent him from scoring, while the Heat’s players were intentionally missing free throws to force Adebayo to foul on a rebounding action.

Whether this qualifies as a “moral” 83 points is certainly debatable, but Adebayo is now in the record books for his historic performance, which also led the Heat to their sixth consecutive win.

Miami is now in sixth place in the Eastern Conference, and essentially tied with the Toronto Raptors for fifth place, which is potentially as high as they could realistically be before the season ends.

In any case, Adebayo’s night will be long remembered.

While Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green is undoubtedly a future Hall of Famer, he will also be remembered for his on-court antics, one of which was the infamous chokehold he put on longtime foe Rudy Gobert.

This incident attracted considerable attention at the time, and still does. But during a recent appearance on Houston Rockets guard Fred VanVleet’s podcast, ‘Unguarded,’ Draymond Green admitted he didn’t realize how long he had held Rudy Gobert in the moment.

“Even though I’m going to tell you this, I didn’t realize I was strangling her for so long. I didn’t realize I was strangling her for so long,” Green said. “Look, when I came back in the locker room, I was looking at it and I said, ‘Man, this is bad.’ “I didn’t realize I had it for so long.”

“Once I saw how late it was I went inside the equipment room, I was talking to the equipment guys and I said, ‘Hey man, what do you think is going to happen?'” Green said. “And they were like, ‘Dre, you held him for so long.’ “Brother, I guess I didn’t think it would take this long.”

Following the incident, Green was suspended for five games by the NBA. The other players involved in the controversy, Gobert, Klay Thompson and Jaden McDaniels, faced only fines and no suspensions. Part of the league’s reasoning for Green’s punishment was his past incidents.

Drafted 35th overall in the 2012 NBA Draft, Green is now in his 14th season in the NBA, all with the Warriors.

While Cleveland Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen may not have won Cade Cunningham’s NBA Player of the Month award for the Eastern Conference in February, his incredible 11-game performance cannot be ignored. He averaged 22.3 points, 11.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.3 blocks in less than 30 minutes per contest for the Cavs, with a 74.0% field goal percentage.

This led the entire NBA, and, as Eric Slater of ClutchPoints wrote, he was the only player in the league to average 20 and 10 on at least 50% shooting.

After the team’s last home game, a stunning 109–94 win over the New York Knicks a week earlier, Larry Nance Jr. drew attention to that dominance in Donovan Mitchell’s postgame interview. Before the real question came up, he asked the All-Star guard about the “God of Greats.”

“There’s Masked Kobe [Bryant]jersey-untucked bed [Irving],” Nance said. “Where does Black History Month Jarrett Allen come into play?”

“I mean, Black History Month JA is definitely a thing at this point,” Michelle responded, as Allen leaned in to listen. “Dr. [Anthony]. Let’s make it a thing.

As funny as that exchange was, the loud praise that Allen received in the locker-room was well-earned and appreciated.

Allen has been a strong player on the inside and his start to the month was described as a Hakeem Olajuwon-like performance against the Portland Trail Blazers. Allen scored a career-high 40 points with 17 boards, five assists and four blocks. It featured his face photoshopped onto the famous “100” photo of Wilt Chamberlain in celebration in the locker room.

This would ultimately be a precursor to what would come in February, which saw him record nine double-doubles in 11 opportunities. With Evan Mobley sidelined with a calf injury, Allen was playing well even before the Cavs rebuilt their roster with a franchise-altering trade for James Harden.

“He’s just caught this wave, this momentum. He’s playing out of his mind. I mean, both ends,” Atkinson said, noting his defensive rating of 84 against the Knicks. “He’s playing great basketball. Confidence. I think his usage increased a lot with Evan being out. I think it gave him confidence. He started taking some risks out there. And then, he always finishes in the paint, right? First in the league in field goal percentage last year. So he can do that.”

But since Harden adapted to alcohol and gold, the relationship has become just as natural. The 36-year-old’s pick and roll savvy, coupled with Allen’s timing and footwork, are a match made in heaven.

“Being out there, JA, I can say he’s a lot better than I thought he was in terms of being able to catch the ball, being able to finish around the rim with both hands,” Harden said. “He has a lot of touch around the rim, and I think that’s probably one of the most underrated parts of his game. So just trying to find ways to get him the ball and in positions where he can be successful, and the same thing with Eve and all of our big guys…

“… Just defensively, how active he is offensively, how he understands, when to roll to the basket, when to roll short, when to find the pocket, screening angles, different things like that. And he’s so athletic; he gets into a roll. It’s getting off screens or setting screens quicker, that’s something I’ve had to get used to. No disrespect to different players. [Ivica] Zubac is also really good in his own way, but Jarrett is like a speed roller, so I’m really going to have to get used to finding that speed.

Allen acknowledged that Harden’s arrival has only reinforced the positive play that has continued over the past month and a half.

“Just his patience,” Allen said. “He won’t force any shots. He won’t force any lobs all the time. He won’t try to force hero plays. He’ll try to pick apart the other team, just try to read their defense and try to make the right play.”

Mitchell said of Allen’s mentality with Harden, “Just aggressive, aggressive, vocal on both ends of the floor.” “He’s in the pick and roll. He’s on the boards. He’s getting the ball in the paint. Sometimes we feel like he’s surrounded by four guys and he’s still getting out there, finishing through contact. This is the most aggressive I’ve ever seen him. And that was before James. And now, you add James, and it’s like a whole ‘nother layer. He’s really being vocal, and we need that.”

It also helps his recovery from two separate, painful finger injuries suffered early in the season.

“I mean, he was really dealing with broken fingers,” Atkinson said. “He tried to play through it. And then, we made him sit out for a few weeks, right, and we paid for it [in the] Win-loss column, but we had to get it right. I think he is healthy, [it’s] That’s definitely a part of it.”

What Kenny Atkinson told Jarrett Allen to lock him in

And yet, none of these reasons are the primary reason he plays with an edge every night.

“Kenny challenged me,” Allen said. “Evan was out, Evan hurt his shin, he told me, came to me and said, ‘You’ve got to pick it up. You’ve got to make up for the loss of rim protection, the loss of offensive ability.’ And I took it to heart. I went out there and honestly just started having fun and not really caring about the mistakes I was going to make, and just started playing freely, and it’s working out for me.

“I always try to say I’m the perfect soldier. You tell me to do something, I’m blindly going to do it, whether I believe it or not. And it’s working.”

Mitchell raised his head and gazed at Allen with open ears in his last interview after the game.

“Hopefully, we’ll keep it going until March, right?”

Cunningham and the Pistons are in town for a rematch of a classic, wild overtime game between the two just four days ago.

Expectations are now set for Allen even with Mobley back, which means the Cavs will have to continue to find The Fro at lower levels.

The Cleveland Cavaliers and James Harden were nearly dealt a season-deciding injury blow on Wednesday. An X-ray of the star point guard’s right thumb revealed he suffered a non-displaced fracture against the New York Knicks on Tuesday. While the injury usually requires surgery, Harden never considered it an option.

“It’s too much time,” the Cavaliers star said after Sunday’s 106-102 win over the Brooklyn Nets. “Thought about playing the last game, thought about playing in Milwaukee. There’s going to be some discomfort, so just figuring out ways to fight. There’s no other option.”

James Harden asked if he’s considering surgery on his broken thumb:

“No. It’s too much time… there’s going to be some discomfort, so just figuring out ways to fight it… I have no other choice.” pic.twitter.com/PG2qe37o07

– Eric Slater (@erikslater_) 2 March 2026

Harden’s injury could have been a devastating blow to Cleveland’s title hopes. After a disappointing start to the season, the Cavaliers traded an injured Darius Garland for the 36-year-old Harden at the trade deadline. The availability of the latter was a driving force in its acquisition.

However, after injuring his thumb, it was unclear whether Harden would be able to play during the stretch run to end the regular season. With Donovan Mitchell also out with a groin injury, Harden missed the first two games of Cleveland’s road trip, suffering tough losses to the Milwaukee Bucks and Detroit Pistons.

The Cavaliers arrived in New York on Saturday and Harden went to the NBA Players Association gym to get his thumb tested.

“See if I can dribble,” he said of the goal of the workout. “If I can dribble, I can play. I still couldn’t dribble the way I wanted to, but it was good enough.”

Initially listed as questionable, Harden took the field against the Nets on Sunday.

James Harden playing for Cavaliers despite broken thumb

To the relief of Cavs fans, he broke through in the game and played well enough to earn the win. Harden logged 36 minutes, posting 29 points on 5 of 9 shooting from the field, 4 of 7 from three and 8 of 8 from the free-throw line, along with nine rebounds, eight assists and five turnovers.

“Too many turnovers,” he said of his performance. “Not being able to handle the ball properly. After this game, hopefully I’ll take a few days to rest and let it heal and then go from there.”

While Harden finished with a near triple-double, Kenny Atkinson noticed that he was not his usual self.

“You could see in the first half that he wasn’t 100%, obviously,” Atkinson said. “Just tipping the ball. Some of those turnovers weren’t his. Then I noticed he was tipping the ball a few times while bringing it up. Which he never does. Just probably needed to give it a break. It’s tough, especially for a guy who handles it as much as he does.

“I thought in the second half, we had that stretch where we were struggling and he kind of took over. Got to the free-throw line and then hit a couple threes. He’s a gamer. Kind of made it tough… We needed him. He played handicapped. But he still played well.”

The Cavaliers are currently the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference standings, two games ahead of the Toronto Raptors and 1.5 games behind the New York Knicks. Their next two games include two of their toughest tests since acquiring Harden.

Cleveland returns home for a rematch with the Pistons on Tuesday. They will then have four days off to rest Harden before back-to-back home contests against the Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers.

Harden’s thumb will continue to be one of the top stories surrounding the Cavaliers in the coming weeks. However, the 11-time All-Star is adamant that he will do whatever it takes to remain on the court during his 36-year-old season.

“I love playing basketball even with no money,” Harden said. “Basketball is a thing that we do, and it’s a safe place. As you get better and start studying the game and start learning more and get comfortable, it’s the same with anything, you just get used to it. I’ve been fortunate to play in this league for as long as I have, and I’m still doing it at a high level. Even now, as I’ve gotten older. When I was younger, I’ve always been It felt like that, but I still realize I have a few more years left to play basketball, so I definitely cherish them and have no regrets about playing.

Southampton’s one-time record signing Sofiane Boufal has accused the club of not having a plan when they signed him, which has led to his disappointing performances at the club.

Boufal talks to L’Equipe today about his career. This also includes discussion at Southampton, should things not go according to plan.

The 32-year-old is currently playing his football in Le Havre, France after joining on a free transfer in January. He was at Royal Union Saint-Gillois, but his contract there was terminated by mutual consent.

The French side are the latest club to join him in a varied career since leaving Southampton in 2020.

Post-Southampton conflict

In the six years since leaving Southampton he has played for Angers SCO, Al-Rayyan, Union SG and Le Havre.

The winger spent four years at Southampton after the club signed him for a then club-record £16m in 2016, but he was never able to reach that status during his time there.

Although he showed glimpses of world-class individual talent, a consistent lack of final product and occasional clashes with management diminished his influence.

Fans remember him best for two iconic solo goals: a long-range curler against Sunderland and a spectacular 85th-minute solo effort against West Brom the following year. That strike was voted the Premier League’s goal of the season in 2018.

But overall, he managed only five goals and five assists in 84 appearances, far below expectations for a record signing.

Why did the saint mantra not work?

However, he does not take the blame for Southampton’s failure. Instead, he accused Southampton of not having any plans for him when he signed him.

“Of course I can say that I missed something. If we are only talking about pure football, I had the qualities to have a very successful career.” He said.

“But I could have done worse. I got hurt. And you get what you deserve. I was too impulsive for my own liking. Back then, I was all alone in that crazy, shark-like world. But I don’t live with regrets.

“It didn’t work at some clubs because I didn’t feel valued. At Southampton, I was the biggest signing in the club’s history, but there was no plan behind it.”

Winning cures all ills, or so the cliché goes. However, defeating the Golden State Warriors did not prevent Dejounte Murray from leading the rebuilding New Orleans Pelicans after a disappointing former All-Star season. The 29-year-old was less modest about what James Borrego has been pushing since last August.

Instead, the veteran guard shared a blunt assessment that balances disappointment with perspective.

Murray cursed, “We didn’t have a king rebound. We were terrible. We were terrible. Like, we should have practiced rebounding yesterday.” “Literally, Herb Jones didn’t rebound. You know what I’m saying? When he rebounds, we all rebound.”

Murray finished with three assists and two boards for 13 points in 25 minutes, so there were smiles in the locker room after the game after the quick hit.

Still, he stuck to one particular game while grading the bigger picture after his first game in nearly 13 months.

“We can get better. I think I’d give us a C+ tonight. It’s beautiful to get a C+ and win a basketball game in the NBA against a good team,” Murray allowed. “I don’t care who’s in, who’s out. Steve Kerr coaches his team very well. He has a system, and he’s put the right players in there to be successful.”

The forgiving grades underlined the bigger picture. Even a “terrible” performance can serve as a useful building block.

“I think we probably got like a C or C+,” Murray reiterated. “We could have been more solid. Like, I had a little turnover there. I think I got fouled, but there’s no excuses. We have to be solid. When teams are stuck and trying to come from behind, we have to stay in our spots and be there for each other. I think that’s my job, but also, you know, it’s a collective unit. I’m a point guard, and like I said, I’m here to make everybody better. I’m here to win, so we have to be better overall. After we win, you can move on from things and, you know, correct those errors.”

Seven of the next nine games are on the road, starting with a six-game trip to the Western Conference. At least the first two games of the trip are against the lottery-picked Utah Jazz. It’s the perfect setup for Dejounte Murray’s Pelicans to let off some steam before summer break.

Last October, Sports Witness Covered claims from Denmark FC Copenhagen’s interest in Newcastle United’s Emil Krafth. His wish was to sign him at a reasonable price in the winter market, but that did not happen.

The Sweden international is still at St James’ Park, where he is under contract until the end of this season.

Craft made only one Premier League and two EFL Cup appearances for Newcastle United this season. His limited role with the Magpies meant he missed national team fixtures in October.

Sweden manager Graham Potter initially did not include the right-back in the squad in November. They had to recall the Newcastle United player following concerns over the fitness of Leeds United defender Gabriel Gudmundsson.

Newcastle United player injured

The fullback played 65 minutes in Sweden’s 1–1 draw against Slovenia in a World Cup qualifier in November. This is his last appearance as he has had to spend time on the sidelines due to injury.

Eddie Howe recently admitted that the 31-year-old may not play again this season. football direct It is said that Hammarby IF’s Hampus Skoglund could be a contender for a place in Potter’s squad for the March international break.

The former West Ham United boss, who will be without Krafth and Bologna’s Emil Holm for next month’s fixtures, watched Hammarby IF’s 2-0 cup win over Bjerg on Friday.

Skoglund played the full 90 minutes in his preferred role as a right-back and spoke to Football Direct after the match. They had no idea Potter was in attendance.

“No, I had no idea. But the fact that he was there is a good sign. There aren’t a lot of right-backs in the national team, and the goal is definitely to get there,” He said.

Kraft and Holm’s injuries are lucky for someone else

The outlet is quick to mention that Newcastle United defender and Holm is injured, and Holstein Kiel’s Alexander Bernhardsson has returned from injury.

When asked if this should open the door to Sweden for him, Skoglund explained: “Yeah… I didn’t know it was that bad.”

“Yes [there are not many right-backs]But I meant it more generally. “It’s unfortunate for him that he got injured, but fortunate to have someone else who can take that spot in that situation.”

As things stand, Craft will leave Newcastle United as a free agent after this season.

ATLANTA – The Atlanta Hawks started the second half of the season with a road win, an environment they have been quite comfortable in this year. As of Friday, the Hawks were 17-15 on the road.

It’s home games where they lag (10-16 record), and that was the case in their 128-97 loss to the Miami Heat. The Hawks took a flat approach to start the game, while the Heat were clicking on both sides of the ball.

It was the second quarter where the Hawks came alive, and with a run started by Corey Kispert and CJ McCollum, they saw a 15-point deficit disappear.

“We played with better pace,” McCallum said. “We came out and ran. I think in the first quarter, we got our sea legs back and we didn’t come out and run. Didn’t get a chance to get stops.

“In the second quarter, we came out and ran. Corey got a dunk and a transition three. Got some rim pressure, got some kick out three eyes out. I think that was the difference.”

The Hawks trailed 57-51 at halftime and with little momentum. Unfortunately, they went back to their old habits and the Heat never looked back in the second half, taking a 34-point lead in the fourth quarter.

“They went into the zone to start the fourth quarter and I think that changed the game,” McCollum said. “They took advantage of some turnovers and missed shots. I don’t think we did enough to win. [Tyler] Hero got down. He’s got a lot more freedom, a lot more space in his pick and roll, and a lot more space in his pull-ups. I think a lot of guys hurt us tonight, and I think we didn’t deserve to win this game.”

The Heat had 72 points in the paint to the Hawks’ 38. They were defeated 58-46. Plus, they got 20 points off their turnovers. The only thing that went good for the Hawks in this game was that they shot 42% from the three-point line, but that was still not enough to win.

“I think when we follow the game plan, and we come out and execute the game plan, that’s when we play our best. I don’t think we did a good job of executing the game plan tonight,” Jalen Johnson said.

The Hawks were coming up by one, but they didn’t use it as an excuse for the loss.

“I would have liked to have gone to bed before 3 a.m. last night, but they beat us to it,” McCallum said. “It’s the same. They came out, they played better than us. They started well. They got points in transition, they got threes, they got rim pressure. Tonight they did what they wanted. So back-to-back or not, they did enough to win, and we didn’t do enough.”

The Hawks have four consecutive games to correct their mistakes for their home woes this season, and they are coming against opponents who haven’t had the best performances this year.

Johnson said, “The opportunities are in front of us. We just have to go out there and get it. We got another chance to regroup on Sunday, and tomorrow we got a chance to watch film and get better.”

Damian Lillard didn’t need much convincing to step onto the Intuit Dome floor Saturday night. Despite being sidelined for the entire 2025-26 season due to a ruptured Achilles tendon, the Portland Trail Blazers star proved that “Dame Time” is a permanent setting. Lillard captured his third career NBA 3-Point Contest title and joined legends Larry Bird and Craig Hodges as the only three-time winners in the history of the event.

“People know I’m a real competitor.” 😤

let’s talk damian lillard @ChrisBHaynes About joining @state Farm NBA 3-Point Contest when slots are available! pic.twitter.com/PtEncrsEK7

– NBA TV (@NBATV) 15 February 2026

The nine-time All-Star admitted that the decision to join was almost a joke at first. While discussing holiday plans with NBA officials, Lillard mentioned he was available if a slot opened up. When this happened, he took the opportunity to “spice things up” and give fans something to cheer about during his long journey to recovery.

Osasuna sporting director Braulio Vazquez has insisted he did not even listen to Sunderland’s attempts to sign Victor Munoz in January.

Diario de Navarra covered Vazquez’s comments today. He was speaking at a press conference recently, in which he was asked about Sunderland and Munoz.

The Black Cats moved for the 22-year-old at the end of the January transfer window. Sport Witness has covered it sinceExplaining how they fielded multiple bids for the winger. They reportedly made an initial €20m bid before raising it to €25m.

Osasuna were not interested, even with Eliezer Mayenda included as part of the deal. He turned down Sunderland, while Munoz was reportedly unwilling to leave the Spanish team in the middle of the season.

Sunderland need €40m

Part of Osasuna’s reasoning was that they would have to pay Real Madrid 50%. Therefore, the Spanish side would like to see Munoz depart for at least €40m. This is the value of the release clause in his current deal.

Now Vazquez has doubled down on his stance. He explained why he had no interest in what Sunderland or anyone else could offer.

He said, “We didn’t even listen to them; we stuck to the stream.”

“It is also true, and I want to emphasize this, that he is very grateful to the club. We brought him from Primera RFEF (Real Madrid first division), where he had only played 40 minutes in La Liga, and we paid €5m.

“I told him he’s going to experience personal and professional growth because it’s the right environment, and he’s very grateful. To this day, we’re not considering him leaving, and neither is he.”

Tottenham are also interested

The question is how long Osasuna can keep their star man. Sunderland are not the only ones to have shown an interest.

Sport Witness covered a report in late January It added that Tottenham were also in the mix for him. It shows that his performances are definitely being recognised, especially in the Premier League.

With English clubs easily able to pay it if they wanted, it’s clear that’s what Vazquez is hoping will happen at some point.

Liverpool hero Dirk Kuyt has admitted he didn’t really like Raheem Sterling when he arrived at Anfield early in his career.

Today’s cover comments from the former Liverpool striker in 1908Made for ESPN in the Netherlands. He has been the talk of Sterling since his surprise arrival at Feyenoord.

Sterling signed for the Dutch team this week after being released by Chelsea. He fell out of favor at Stamford Bridge and all parties decided to end their relationship a year early.

kuyat unaffected

The 31-year-old had offers across Europe, including from the Premier League. But has elected to join Feyenoord until the end of the season. The Dutch side have guaranteed him the playing time he was looking for.

He is looking to get back on track after a poor few years at Stamford Bridge following a €56.2 million move in 2022. A loan at Arsenal in 2024 also failed to rekindle the spark.

It has been a winding career for Sterling, who began his career at QPR before moving to Liverpool’s U18s in 2010.

He was in the Liverpool first team two years later, scoring 23 goals and registering 18 assists in 129 games. Kuyt played with him, but was not a fan.

“That was quite a few years ago; he was sixteen then,” he said.

“We trained together a few times and played a few matches. Ultimately, I didn’t like him that much because he quickly moved to a bigger rival (Manchester City). But Raheem Sterling is, of course, considered a fantastic player in English football with a tremendous record.”

feyenoord occasion

We’re sure Kuyt’s sentiment is shared by most at Anfield after Sterling transferred to Manchester City in 2015.

However, he would argue that 131 goals and 8 assists in 339 games and numerous trophies helped justify it.

The focus now is on Feyenoord, and perhaps convincing Kuyt that he is not so bad. However, there could be some impressive performances between now and the end of the season.