Category: Sports

Sam Kipling || Issue 14 || February 25, 2025

Coach Jon Schueyer is now in his nineteenth season with the Duke Blue Devils. Preseason polls had been ranking Duke in the top 5 before this team ever stepped foot on the court. Expectations were high as they always seem to be for this program. Coach Scheyer hasn’t had this level of talent on his
team in years, as you can imagine the hype is real. Going into November with high hopes the team struggled out of the gate. With Duke losing a couple of games they were expected to win. The
team’s challenges certainly didn’t stem from a lack of talent but rather chemistry issues and inconsistency. As far as conference play goes Duke rose above the rest in the ACC, absolutely dominating inter-conference opponents and rivals. As the season was under way and the team had a month of play under their belt that’s when the team started to gel. Cooper Flag will get all the attention this season, deservingly so. But you have to mention Jalen Johnson. After not living up to the hype he had some sort of turnaround, his incredible defensive abilities have secured Duke countless victories. Veteran players like Kyle Filipowski are owed a tremendous amount of credit in coaching and counseling the young guys. Well, past midseason now the Blue Devils look unstoppable. Cooper Flag is a name you’re going to be hearing a lot of in the basketball world and for good reason. He is averaging 20 points a game at the most competitive level of the NCAA. His ability to change the momentum of games and make it look effortless is a huge reason why I believe Duke is the team that has the best chances going into March. I wouldn’t want to play Duke in March and that feeling is shared by every team in college basketball. Duke hasn’t looked this good in a decade including their 2015 championship team. Anything can happen in March Madness, but it looks like it could finally be Duke’s year.

Sam Kipling || Issue 14 || February 25, 2025

The four-nations faceoff came to an end Thursday, February 20th as Canada defeated the United States in the championship game. The game had hockey fans on the edge of their seats with end-to end action. In an absolutely thrilling championship match, Canada came out on top 3-2 scoring their final goal in overtime at TD Garden Arena in Boston. Both teams had several chances to put the game away in the final period but fell short. The Edmonton Oilers’ very own Connor McDavid scored the dagger in overtime to bring it home to Canada. The theatrical end to the championship was reminiscent of the way the 2010 Olympics ended. Another matchup with USA and Canada playing on the world stage and Canada once again scored an overtime goal to best the USA. The round-robin tournament was a huge success being the first international hockey event that included NHL players
since 2016. The championship match drew in 5 and a half million viewers at its peak making this
one of the most watched hockey matches of all time. The NHL was able to come to an agreement this year to allow their players to participate in the one-off four-nations tournament despite issues in the past with the Olympic committee. The tournament was received well and drew in millions of viewers. It was a heartbreaking loss for Team USA but an incredible effort to make it to the championship match and a huge step forward for international hockey.

Yusef Natt || Issue 14 || February 25, 2025

The USA has been dominant in the 2025 4 Nations Face-Off, securing a top spot in the standings as they head toward the championship game. This international tournament, featuring the best talent from the NHL, has been a thrilling return to top-tier global competition, with the U.S. proving itself as a serious contender for the title. For New York Rangers fans, this tournament has been particularly exciting. Several Blueshirts are representing Team USA, including Vincent Trocheck, who has played a key leadership role. While Auston Matthews of the Toronto Maple Leafs has officially been named captain of the international tournament team, rumors have swirled about Tro check potentially stepping into a bigger leadership role for the Rangers. Trocheck’s presence has been crucial, bringing grit and experience to a team filled with high-flying offensive stars like Jack Hughes and Matthew Tkachuk. His performance could help him take on a more significant leadership role when he returns to New York. The Rangers have had a tough season, battling injuries and inconsistent performances. Despite a strong start, key players have struggled to stay healthy, and the team has had difficulty maintaining momentum in the Eastern Conference. This tournament gives Rangers players a chance
to reset and find their best form before returning to the NHL grind. For the players, winning the 4 Nations Face-Off would be a career highlight, especially given how rare, best-on-best international tournaments have been in recent years. The last major event of this caliber was the 2016 World Cup of
Hockey, where many current stars had yet to establish themselves. For Rangers fans, this championship push is an opportunity to see their favorite players shine on the international stage.
If Team USA continues its dominance and lifts the trophy, it could inject momentum and confidence into the Rangers’ locker room as they gear up for the playoff push back in the NHL. With the final approaching, all eyes are on Team USA and their Rangers representatives. Can they finish the
job and bring home the title? Fans won’t have to wait long to find out.

Sam Kipling || Issue 13 || February 19, 2025

Coaches in the NFL are one of the most vital factors in what makes or breaks a franchise. An NFL team can have all the raw talent in the world, but it wouldn’t amount to much without a proper coaching
staff—that’s half the battle. Of all the jobs in the NFL the position of head coach is widely considered one of the most stressful. If the team does poorly they are the first to come under fire. Kellen Moore
started his coaching career in 2018 when he was signed as the Dallas Cowboys quarter back coach. Team instability led to a midseason promotion to Offensive coordinator. This position change is anything but casual, the responsibilities of Offensive Coordinator far outweigh those of his previous job. As Offensive Coordinator and therefore the play-caller, Moore rose to the occasion and put up franchise-record-breaking numbers with the Dallas Cowboys until 2021. Moore spent a year as the OC for the Chargers and found himself singing with the Philadelphia Eagles in resulting in a Superbowl win in 2025. Moore’s most successful season by far was his most recent. This 2024-2025 season Moore found himself coaching a far more talented roster than he ever had before as well as working in conjunction with the head Coach Nick. Moore’s offensive genius is in disputable, he has successfully managed some of the league’s best offenses Sirianni. Kellen Moore served as an elite play-caller but simply lacks the confidence and leadership skills required of a Head Coach. Moore surely would have found himself a head coaching job years ago if these qualities never came into question. Moore’s
elite football IQ and play calling skills perfectly complemented Sirianni’s bravado and fierce leadership. From what the league has seen in the past I have reason to believe that there is more
to being a successful head coach than play calling. Kellen Moore has his niche and
is an elite offensive coordinator. The New Orleans Saints need a leader and someone who is going to find direction for the franchise. The Saints need somebody who is going to shift the culture the same
way Dan Campbell has for Detroit. With that being said The Saint’s options were limited with many NCAA coaches signing long contract extensions this offseason they had to turn to hiring from within
the league. I don’t believe the new head coach signing is going to yield positive results for New Orleans. Kellen Moore is simply not their guy.

Sam Kipling || Issue 13 || February 19 2025

Saima Syeda || Issue 13 || February 19, 2025

When Hurts made all the plays the offense required, a fierce Philadelphia Eagles defense harassed and irritated 22 on Sunday to win the team’s second Super Bowl. Patrick Mahomes. The Kansas City Chiefs’ hopes of winning three consecutive Super Bowls were dashed. It was far from it. Josh Sweat put pressure on Mahomes all night, Cooper DeJean received a pick-6 on his 22nd birthday, and the Eagles defeated the Chiefs 40 Vic Fangio’s defense was so strong that the Eagles didn’t require much from Saquon Barkley, and Hurts ran for a score on a tush push and threw for two touchdowns to win Super Bowl MVP. The game-changing running back broke Terrell Davis record for most yards rushing in a season, including playoffs, with 57 yards at the end of the season. Hurts had a 221-yard pass.

Alan Conklin || Issue 10 || December 3rd, 2024

After 12 weeks of NFL action, the playoff picture for both the AFC and NFC is still completely up in the air. Multiple divisions still don’t have a clear frontrunner, and the number one seeds in both conferences are here by just one game. Let’s delve into what things will look like for the final six weeks of the regular season. Starting in the AFC, the least competitive division is easily the AFC East. The Buffalo Bills (9-2) can all but coast to their fifth consecutive division win with a four-game lead over the second place Miami Dolphins (5-6). The Bills are currently in line to be the number two seed in the AFC. The Dolphins are the only other team in the playoff conversation and are currently a game and a
half back from the seventh and final playoff spot. Switching now to the most competitive division, the AFC North. The Pittsburgh Steelers (8-3) hold just a half game lead over the Baltimore Ravens (8-4). This slots the Steelers in as the number three seed and the Ravens in at number five as the best wildcard team. The third-place team Cincinnati Bengals (4-7) are just a bit too far back for me to consider them in the playoff hunt, but at 2.5 games behind the seventh seed could still technically make it in. The worst division in the AFC looks to be only sending one team to the playoffs this year, that division being the AFC South. The Houston Texans (7-5) hold a comfortable two game lead over the Indianapolis Colts (5-7), despite being the AFC division leader with the worst record. The Texans are currently slotted in at the number four seed, with the Colts being behind the seventh seed by two games. The last AFC division, the AFC West, is easily the most dominant with their teams currently holding three of the seven playoff spots. The division is headed by the current number one seeded
Kansas City Chiefs (10-1). And while the Chiefs look like a lock for their ninth consecutive division win, the Los Angeles Chargers (7-4) and Denver Broncos (7-5) are still in the hunt, currently seeded at number six and seven respectively. The NFC finds itself in a similar situation, with very little certainty after ⅔ of the regular season. One of the most interesting storylines of the season has been the NFC North battle, as three of the best teams, not just the NFC but the entire NFL, reside there. The division is headed by the Detroit Lions (10-1), who are the number one seed in the NFC. Followed close behind are the Minnesota Vikings (9-2) and Green Bay Packers (8-3). These two, while not in the division lead, currently hold the best wildcard positions at five and six. Another highly competitive division, but on the other end of the record spectrum, is the NFC West. The Seattle Seahawks (6-5), Arizona Cardinals (6-5), Los Angeles Rams (5-6), and San Francisco 49ers (5-6) all sit with in a game of the division lead. The Seahawks currently hold that honor, coming in as the third seed. But the other three currently find themselves outside of the playoffs by half a game (Cardinals) and a game and a half (Rams and 49ers). Currently home to the number two and seven seed in the NFC is the NFC East. Headed by
the Philadelphia Eagles (9-2) and followed by the Washington Commanders (7-5) this looks to be the fourth year in a row in which the division sends multiple teams to the post season. Wrapping up the NFC conference is the NFC South. The Atlanta Falcons (65) currently hold the lead, but are followed
closely by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5-6). The Falcons are slotted in as the last division leader in the fourth seed, and the Buccaneers find themselves a game and a half back from the fourth seed, but
have their sights set on the division lead, which they are only one game out of. With so many different storylines and possible scenarios it will certainly be interesting to see what the playoffs look like come January.

Adem Jones || Issue 10 || December 3rd, 2024

Aaron Rodgers has always been a lightning rod for controversy, even before he made the switch to the New York Jets. After 18 years with the Green Bay Packers, where he won four MVPs and a Super Bowl title, Rodgers’ reputation took a hit. Whether it was his off-the-field drama or the way that he seems to ruffle feathers wherever he goes, the quarterback became known just as much for his attitude as his arm strength. But now, a recent poll has given him a new, more ironic title: the NFL’s “Most Annoying Player.” A survey conducted by Action Network found that 27% of NFL fans think Rodgers is the league’s most annoying player. That’s more than any other player by a long shot. In fact, 24 out
of 32 fan bases voted him the most annoying, including fans in Green Bay. And while his reputation was tarnished in his final years with the Packers, it seems his baggage has only gotten heavier in New York. Rodgers’ last few years in Green Bay were a rollercoaster of bad press. He feuded with former coach Mike McCarthy, then declared he wanted out of Green Bay just before the 2021 draft.
The following season, he was openly critical of his teammates, and his refusal to show up for the offseason program only deepened the divide. By the time he left Green Bay, Rodgers had
alienated a large part of the fan base, despite his undeniable talent. But it didn’t end there. After being
traded to the Jets in 2023, Rodgers was expected to revive the struggling franchise. Instead,
his first season in New York was cut short by an Achilles injury after just four snaps. Since then, his absence from the field has been almost as notable as his time there. The Jets have been in constant disarray, with Rodgers reportedly skipping out on mandatory minicamps and generating more headlines off the field than on it. Rodgers’ impact on the Jets this season has been mixed, to say the least. With a 3-7 record and ranking 26th in both scoring and total yards, it’s safe to say that the much-anticipated Rodgers-led revival isn’t really happening. The team’s offense has been underwhelming, and despite the additions made around Rodgers, the results simply aren’t there. Boomer Esiason, former Jets quarterback and current analyst, didn’t hold back when discussing the state of the team. After a dismal loss to the Arizona Cardinals, Esiason said that Rodgers had “completely sucked the
air out of the building,” claiming that the team’s players were deferring too much to him. This has been a recurring issue, Rodgers has often been the center of attention, both on and off the field, with little to show for it in terms of wins. As the Jets’ season continues to spiral, the whispers about Rodgers’ future with the team have grown louder. Reports suggest that the Jets are looking to move on, especially after firing GM Joe Douglas. Rodgers’ relationship with the front office, particularly his influence over coaching decisions, has raised questions about his commitment to the team. With rumors of a potential split after this season, it seems clear that Rodgers’ time in New York
might be limited. For Jets fans, the question isn’t just whether Rodgers will stay with the team, it’s whether the Jets made a huge mistake bringing him in at all. Rodgers has never been a figure without controversy, and his lack of leadership in the face of adversity this season has made many question his role on the team. While Rodgers has undeniably been one of the greatest quarterbacks to ever play the game, his performance in New York has not lived up to the hype, and the Jets might be better off cutting ties and looking for a fresh start. As a Jets fan myself, I’m torn. Rodgers’ legacy is hard to ignore, but right now, his presence feels like more of a distraction than a solution. The Jets need stability, and it’s becoming increasingly clear that Rodgers, for all his talent, isn’t the answer to what’s ailing this team. If the Jets want to turn things around, it might be time to consider moving on from their once-great quarterback and making the tough decision to let him go. In the end, Rodgers’ time in New
York will likely be remembered for the drama as much as his performances. Whether or not he can redeem himself before the season’s end remains to be seen, but as it stands, the Jets would be smart to start looking beyond him for their future.

Alan Conklin || Issue 10 || December 3rd, 2024

The Bill’s would proceed to immediately begin proving the bettors right though by picking off Chiefs quarter back Patrick Mahomes on his first pass of the game. They would utilize this good field position and score a touchdown eight plays later, missing the PAT though, so only going up six. This score would hold for the entirety of the first quarter, but the Chiefs scored a touchdown of their own on their first drive of the second quarter to put them up 7-6. The Bill’s countered with a touchdown drive of their own. That drive was followed by a Chiefs three and out, and the Bills got the ball back and a chance to go up by two scores. They would not capitalize on this however as Josh Allen threw an interception that led to a Chiefs touchdown to put them back down by one. In the few minutes they
had left in the half though, the Bill’s marched down the field and made a field goal right as time expired to send them into halftime up 16-14. Coming back from break, many expected another entertaining quarter of scoring, but that is not what we got as the third quarter was an all-out defensive battle with each team punting twice. Then the first drive of the fourth quarter saw the Bills punch it in for a touchdown to make the score 23-14. This did not seem to faze the Chiefs though, as down nine they rallied for another touchdown to pull within two again. But with the pressure on and another
miraculous Chiefs win within reach the Bills marched down the field for their second touchdown in as many drives. Going back up nine with dwindling time all but sealed it for them, but a Patrick Mahomes interception five plays later truly ended things. This moved the Chiefs to 9-1 and the Bills 9-2. Being just a half game out of the number one seed, and holding the tiebreaker, the Bills hope to see the Chiefs drop at least one more game before the playoffs to give them the chance at a first week playoff bye as the number one seed, something not accomplished in the Josh Allen era in Buffalo.

Photo Credits: The Associated Press

Adem Jones || Issue 10 || December 3rd, 2024

It actually happened. Jake Paul, a YouTuber-turned-boxer, defeated the legendary Mike Tyson in an
eight-round heavyweight fight on Friday night at AT&T Stadium in Texas. Let that sink in for a moment, Jake Paul beat Mike Tyson. All three judges gave Paul the win in a unanimous decision,
scoring 80-72, 79-73, and 79-73. For anyone who thought this fight would be a quick Tyson knockout
or an embarrassing mismatch, the result was nothing short of jaw-dropping. The fight, sanctioned by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, had its share of oddities. The rounds were shortened to two minutes, and both fighters used 14-ounce gloves instead of the standard 10-ounce
gloves typically used for heavy weights. These changes undoubtedly played a role in the pacing
and tone of the fight. Tyson, 58, is far from his prime. Once the most feared man in boxing, he holds an incredible 50-7 record with 44 knockouts and remains the youngest heavyweight champion in history. But Tyson, the one who unified the belts and dominated the sport, hasn’t been in the ring for decades. Paul, 27, entered the match with an 11-1 record, having built his career in boxing by fighting a mix of former MMA fighters and social media personalities. While his journey into the sport initially seemed like a publicity stunt, he has undeniably put in the work, and Friday’s win over Tyson proved he’s more than just a gimmick. This fight was originally scheduled for July but was postponed after Tyson experienced health issues, including an ulcer flare-up. Even with the delay, Tyson’s age and long layoff from competitive boxing were evident. Meanwhile, Paul came in sharp, using his youth and conditioning to outpoint the older fighter

For boxing fans, this fight raises a lot of questions about the sport’s direction. The line between real competition and spectacle is getting blurry with events like this. Tyson, who once revolutionized boxing with his brutal power and ferocity, faced off against a social media star whose claim to fame
were viral videos. Many fans argue that fights like this cheapen the sport. While celebrity boxing attracts massive audiences, some fans worry that it undermines the skill and discipline that define traditional boxing. This trend, where entertainment value often outweighs athletic merit, has left many questioning the future of the sport. Yet, there’s no denying the fight’s massive appeal. Whether fans tuned in to see Paul silenced or Tyson recapture some of his old magic, the pairing drew a crowd. Netflix’s broadcast captured every moment of the bizarre spectacle, cementing its place in pop culture, if not in the history of competitive boxing. Tyson, who seemed reluctant about the whole event from the start, is likely feeling the sting of this loss. It’s not just the defeat itself but the fact that it came at the hands of someone with far less experience and pedigree. For Paul, though, this is a career-defining moment. Love him or hate him, he’s now beaten one of the most iconic figures in sports history.
The fight also shed light on how far boxing has shifted in recent years. Once a sport dominated by traditional champions, it now sees influencers and re tired legends stepping into the ring for million-dollar paydays. For better or worse, this is boxing in 2024, a mix of athleticism, entertainment, and spectacle. In the end, the result may be shocking, but it reflects the era we’re in. Tyson’s legacy as one of the greatest fighters ever remains intact, but Paul’s victory is another reminder that in today’s world, almost anything is possible in the ring.