Gambling is ruining sports.

Let’s face it; the sports viewing experience is much worse today than it was when we were kids. It’s easy to chalk that up to aging; the general outlook on life tends to shift when people get older. However, there are several undeniable factors that make being a sports fan worse in today’s day and age.

Games move slower, (some) players are making too much money to care, and there are so many distractions taking away from the product on the field.

Children today who sit down and watch a ball game (which feels rare in this age of highlight clips) are inundated with advertisements: on the field, on the uniforms, digitally imposed on the broadcast, and, of course, in the many commercial breaks.

There are a variety of sectors pushing their products on young, impressionable minds, but one stands out among them all: gambling.

Now, the headline of this blog may be misleading. I don’t believe gambling in general is ruining sports. It’s been a part of sports forever. What I am opposed to is legalized gambling.

You cannot watch a sports broadcast in 2026 without being told the live odds, the odds boosts, the sign-up bonuses. Frankly, it’s annoying. Having a conversation about sports, now that everyone and their mothers are gambling, has become insufferable.

Even more so than just being irritating, so many people have a crippling addiction and don’t even know it.

It’s almost dystopian. They’re pushing a disease on us with bells and whistles. They’re partnering with the athletes themselves, who tell us to put our hard-earned money on the product that they provide. ESPN, the world-wide leader in sports media, has their own sportsbook. The books know players and media both have major influences on fans, and they’re using that to take even more from us.

Personally, I miss the days of illegal bookies. Sure, they may have broken your legs if you didn’t pay up at the end of the week, but it felt more fair. There was less to bet on, there were limits, it was under the table. The only time you’d hear about it was when Al Michaels would hint that the over hit on a meaningless field goal on Sunday Night Football. Most importantly, you were dealing with people instead of corporations.

ESPN and MLB Part Ways: What It Means for Fans and Future Broadcasts

In a major announcement last night, Major League Baseball revealed that they will be ending their partnership with ESPN after the 2025 season. This is great news for real baseball fans.

Declining Baseball Coverage on ESPN

Over the past decade, ESPN has drastically reduced its baseball coverage in favor of more football and basketball content. This shift has coincided with a broader decline in ESPN’s overall programming. Gone are the days of daily highlights on SportsCenter, there’s an overwhelming emphasis on women’s basketball (a sport I have nothing against, but feel the coverage is overdone), and the promotion of gambling has become extreme, with ESPN now even running its own sports book. While I enjoy betting on sports, there’s a sense of discomfort with a single company controlling both the media and the betting markets.

The Glory Days of ESPN’s Baseball Coverage

As kids, we all grew up watching Baseball Tonight multiple nights a week, enjoying hours of highlights and expert commentary. But today’s ESPN seems to be more focused on loudmouth talking heads and sensationalized takes for engagement rather than presenting sports authentically. Even the baseball broadcasts themselves have taken a turn for the worse. The current team in the booth doesn’t come close to the legendary one of Jon Miller and Joe Morgan, and even the theme song has gotten worse.

Why MLB and ESPN’s Split Makes Sense

With ESPN’s baseball coverage now limited to just one or two games a week, it’s no surprise that MLB and ESPN have agreed to part ways. Instead of leaving national baseball broadcasts in the hands of a network that doesn’t seem invested in the sport, it makes sense to transition those games to a network that prioritizes baseball, such as Fox or Turner.

To ESPN, I say: good riddance.

My 2025 MLB Future Bets

In celebration of ESPN’s contract ending, I’m placing some future bets for the upcoming MLB season. Last year, I profited on the Yankees’ division win plus money, the Guardians’ division win at huge odds, and an incredible comeback from the Astros that saved my season.

Here’s what I’m betting on this year:

1. Yankees Division Winner (+110)

This is a no-brainer. With the Yankees at plus money, I’m all in. There’s no team in the American League that can compete with them.

2. Royals Division Winner (+290)

I don’t see the Guardians winning the division in back-to-back seasons. With rising stars like Cole Ragans and Bobby Witt Jr., the Royals are primed to make a leap this season.

3. Rangers Division Winner (+190)

The Rangers’ World Series win was just two years ago, and the team is still stacked. With the Astros losing key players and the Mariners failing to improve in the offseason, I’m backing the Rangers and their dynamic lineup. Plus, I’m excited to see what Jacob deGrom can bring to the table this year.

4. Brewers Division Winner (+310)

While I do like the Cubs to win the NL Central, there’s too much value in the Brewers, who dominated the division by 10 games last season.

Conclusion

With ESPN stepping away from Major League Baseball, the future of baseball broadcasts looks brighter. It’s time for networks that understand the sport to take the reins, and in the meantime, I’ll be placing my bets on teams with strong futures in 2025.

The Future of All-Star Games: Why the NHL Got It Right and the NBA Got It Wrong

This past weekend, sports fans witnessed two very different versions of an All-Star Break—one that worked and one that flopped.

The NHL’s 4 Nations Tournament was a breath of fresh air. Replacing the traditional All-Star Game, this event featured elite-level competition, passionate players, and an exciting atmosphere. The USA vs. Canada matchup on Saturday night was electric, fueled by national pride and the existing political tension between the two countries. The risk paid off—fans were engaged, and the players cared.

Meanwhile, the NBA All-Star Game’s new tournament format was an outright failure. Players still didn’t try, teams were randomly assembled, and there was no motivation to compete. It felt like watching a casual pick-up game at LA Fitness, not an elite basketball showcase.

The Decline of All-Star Games in Pro Sports

Three major U.S. leagues—NBA, NHL, and NFL—have struggled with declining All-Star Game viewership. Each year, they tweak the format in an attempt to keep fans interested:

  • The NBA abandoned the classic East vs. West format in favor of a draft system, then a tournament—neither has worked.
  • The NHL experimented with a 3v3 tournament before scrapping the All-Star Game entirely.
  • The NFL went from an actual football game to a flag football Pro Bowl, which still lacks intensity and competitive spirit.

Adding celebrity coaches, gimmicks, and extra entertainment hasn’t helped. The real issue? The players don’t care.

How the NHL Fixed Its All-Star Problem

This year, instead of forcing a meaningless exhibition game, the NHL introduced the 4 Nations Tournament, featuring the best players from Canada, the U.S., Sweden, and Finland. What makes this work?
✔ Players have national pride at stake—they want to win.
✔ Fans get real, high-quality hockey instead of a lazy exhibition.
✔ There’s actual competition rather than an unwatchable glorified scrimmage.

The only flaw? No Russian players due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. But once that situation changes, the tournament could be even stronger.

Meanwhile, the NBA and NFL continue to force uninspired All-Star formats, making their games feel like a chore.

Why the MLB All-Star Game Still Works

Unlike the NBA and NFL, Major League Baseball’s All-Star Game hasn’t completely fallen apart. Why?

  • Effort remains high—most of baseball involves standing around, so players don’t exert less energy than usual.
  • Pitchers actually throw harder, often treating the game as a showcase (see Jacob deGrom in 2015).
  • There’s national exposure—players want to impress under the spotlight.

That said, MLB’s game has still lost meaning over the years. Removing the rule that awarded home-field advantage in the World Series was a mistake in my opinion. I used to hate when the National League lost every year, now I couldn’t care less.

How to Fix the NBA and NFL All-Star Games

NBA: Bring Back Stakes

The NBA needs to give players a reason to care about the All-Star Game. Here’s how:

  • Restore the East vs. West format. Fans want classic rivalries, not random teams.
  • Make it matter—the winning conference gets home-court advantage in the NBA Finals, just like MLB’s old rule.

NFL: Eliminate the Pro Bowl

Football is a high-contact sport, and no one wants to risk injury in an exhibition game. The Pro Bowl should be scrapped entirely, as nobody wants to watch a flag-football game, and you’ll never get maximum effort in this sport for a meaningless game.

Are All-Star Games Worth Saving?

All-Star Games should be a fun break in the season, but without effort from the players, they’re pointless. The NHL has figured it out, while the NBA and NFL continue to struggle.

What do you think? Should leagues bring back stakes, or are All-Star Games just a thing of the past? Let’s discuss in the comments!

NBA vs. College Basketball: Key Differences, Style of Play & Fan Experience

NBA vs. College Basketball: The Great Debate

Earlier this week, long-time WFAN radio host Evan Roberts made a comment on air that stirred controversy in the sports world: The NBA is a better on-court product than college basketball.

In New York, many of us might agree. Aside from St. John’s, the state doesn’t have a dominant college basketball program, and the entire tri-state area isn’t exactly a hotbed for NCAA fandom. Across the Hudson in New Jersey, schools like Rutgers and Seton Hall have their followings, and UConn is a powerhouse, but the culture of college basketball is not as deeply ingrained here as in other parts of the country. Growing up in New York, we primarily watched the Knicks and Nets, making us more accustomed to the NBA game.

So when a New York radio host casually declares the NBA superior, it doesn’t raise many eyebrows locally. However, outside of our region, Roberts’ comment sparked backlash, with critics arguing that he must not watch enough college basketball to make such a statement.

The Case for the NBA

If you’ve followed this blog, you know I’m not the biggest fan of the current NBA style of play. There are too many three-pointers, not enough defense, and at times, it feels like every game is an All-Star Game. That being said, NBA players are elite—lethal shooters, freak athletes, and polished professionals. The talent level is simply unmatched in college basketball.

From a pure entertainment perspective, NBA games are often more visually appealing. Every team in the league shoots at a higher percentage than the top NCAA teams, both from three-point range and the free-throw line. Watching more shots go in is, generally, more fun.

The Case for College Basketball

Take St. John’s for example. There’s a lot of excitement around the team in 2025, with a top-10 ranking for the first time in a quarter-century. But they aren’t exactly lighting up the scoreboard—shooting under 45% from the field, below 30% from three, and less than 70% at the line. However, under Rick Pitino, they play an aggressive, hard-nosed brand of basketball. They crash the boards, press for most of the second half, and hustle relentlessly. It may be ugly, but it’s also beautiful in its own way.

These are the kinds of qualities you don’t often see in the NBA. Aside from the Knicks in 2023-24, few NBA teams play with that same level of grit. The league is designed for offense, and while that’s great for scoring highlights, it lacks the raw, physical intensity of the college game.

Roberts’ main point was that college players are, after all, just kids. They miss more shots, make more mistakes, and commit more sloppy fouls. The game is unquestionably rougher around the edges. But in my opinion, it’s also more fundamental. If I were teaching my (hypothetical) children the game of basketball, I’d want them to watch NCAA games, not NBA games.

A New Appreciation for NCAA Basketball

As New Yorkers, we might not have the same attachment to college basketball as fans in the Midwest or the South, but there’s plenty to root for. St. John’s is making waves, and other programs in the region—like my alma mater, Marist University—are gaining traction. In fact, Marist is off to its best start in school history, with a real shot at making the NCAA Tournament.

Conclusion: No Right or Wrong Answer

At the end of the day, both the NBA and college basketball offer something unique. There’s no definitive answer as to which is better—it’s all about preference. Some fans love the polish and skill of the NBA, while others appreciate the heart and intensity of the college game.

What do you think? Do you prefer the NBA’s star power or college basketball’s passion? Let’s discuss in the comments!

Deebo Samuel outlines the typical star receiver path, minus the results.

There’s nothing I hate more in the NFL than a diva wide receiver.

There are so many wide outs in this league who cease to care about the team when they don’t believe they’re getting enough targets. Specific names that come to mind are DK Metcalf, Stefon Diggs, and AJ Brown. Guys who care about personal accolades more than winning, and aren’t ashamed to make it known. Now, we can add 49ers’ Deebo Samuel to that list.

Two weeks ago, Samuel took to X (formerly Twitter) and wrote that he’s in fact not struggling this year, he’s just not getting the ball enough.

Sure, he is touching the ball less than he has in the past. His targets are down about 0.5 per game as opposed to last season, which was already down from 2022. However, he has five drops this year including a huge one on third down last Thursday night, which likely would’ve gone for a touchdown and changed the game.

This isn’t the first time Samuel has made headlines this year. Earlier this season, he was seen on the sideline berating kicker Jake Moody after three missed field goals, and shoving long snapper Taybor Pepper when he stepped in. A few weeks later, Deebo is coming off hypocritical; publicly showing up his teammates for their failures, and excusing his own.

Look at a player like Justin Jefferson: there’s no doubt he is a top three receiver in this league, but in 2024 he hasn’t been utilized like he has in the past in the Vikings’ offense. Yet, you don’t hear a peep out of him. He is mature enough to recognize that he’s still helping the team win with fewer targets, drawing double teams and opening up the rest of the offense.

Selfishness has no place on the gridiron. It leads to quarterbacks forcing the ball to specific players and hampering the offense.

One of the biggest issues I have with the Deebo Samuel situation is that he wants more targets as a downfield receiver, which is not the way he’s ever played. What makes him great is his slipperiness. Give him the ball on a jet sweep and he can evade tackle after tackle. However, that’s not what makes money, and that’s what matters the most in today’s game, right? Who gets the biggest bag.

I’m hoping last week’s big drop was the end of this for Samuel. If the 49ers are going to make a push for a wildcard spot, they’re going to need everyone all in as a team.

King Cohen is officially turning the tide in New York.

Earlier this week, the New York Mets made the move people have been talking about for the last five years. They signed superstar outfielder Juan Soto to the largest contract in the history of professional sports.

This in and of itself is fantastic for the Mets, as Soto is a generational talent and still only 26 years old. However, for Mets’ fans, this is something more. The Mets outbid their crosstown rivals and have shown that they are no longer the little brother to the Yankees.

This is the moment fans have been waiting for since Steve Cohen bought the team back in 2020. The New York Mets of the past are gone and forgotten. Gone are the days of signing washed up former all-stars to shut the fans up. Gone are the days of not being considered a big free-agent landing spot. Gone are the days of rooting for a baseball team that’s owned by the bank.

The fans who were loyal to the poverty “LOLmets” team of the past deserve this. The Mets now have an owner who will drop his nuts on the table and dish out historical contracts, and still have enough money to do more. Cohen has delivered on his promise to pull this franchise out from the depths of hell. Obviously, the job’s not finished until they win, but even just competing in this league is appreciated by fans of this franchise, as it’s something they’ve never really seen before.

Now, as a Mets fan, I’m obviously ecstatic about this signing. However, I can recognize and agree that it’s an overpay, and that this deal makes MUCH more sense for the Mets than it would’ve for the Yankees. $765 million (with a chance to become $805 million) over 15 years is an absurd amount of money, and you can’t really blame Yankees’ owner Hal Steinbrenner for not wanting to go over $760 million. The negotiations for this one single player started to become laughable when they surpassed the Ohtani contract. However, the Mets needed this to prove that they’ve arrived. The Yankees did not.

For the Yankees, this could actually turn into a positive. Sure, it sucks that they couldn’t match an offer for a player they wanted to retain, but that sounds to me like $760 million available to spend on players such as Pete Alonso, Cody Bellinger, Corbin Burnes and Max Fried. The Yankees now have the opportunity to create some major depth coming off a year in which they won the American League pennant. However, most fans don’t trust this front office to get the job done.

Although this can benefit the team in the Bronx, we’ve still seen some terrible takes from the fans in an effort to cope with the loss:

  • “Juan Soto isn’t loyal.”

    First of all, Soto made it very clear when he was traded to the Yankees that he was open to all 30 teams when he hit free agency. In fact, we’ve pretty much known he was going to take the most money possible since he was a teenager. He’s been on three teams, and spent the least amount of time of his career in New York. Sure, they went to the World Series last year, but he won a World Series with a different franchise. Saying he isn’t loyal because he chose the money just isn’t fair in this case. Believe it or not, he did not owe the Yankees anything just because they let him hit in front of Aaron Judge.

    • “I don’t want Pete Alonso. It’d be like taking the Mets’ sloppy seconds.”

    At this moment, the Yankees’ first baseman is DJ LeMahieu. I understand signing Pete Alonso would come off as desperate after this move, but who cares? He would improve the current team, would mash in Yankee Stadium, and likely won’t cost too much coming off a relatively bad season.

    • “The Mets’ lineup still isn’t that good. One player doesn’t make that big a difference.”

    This is the worst one. You may not like it, but don’t pretend a player of this caliber doesn’t completely change a lineup, just like he did for yours. Juan Soto was the piece the Yankees needed to take the next step to the Fall Classic, so why won’t he do the same for the Mets?

    Also, the Mets have a good lineup! It features two MVP candidates in Soto and Lindor (although it’s going to be a tough ask in the National League). Brandon Nimmo is coming off a down year but is still a very good bat, Francisco Alvarez is another huge power threat, and Jeff McNeil (if he’s even on the roster come Opening Day) does have a batting title under his belt. They also have some great young talent in Mark Vientos, Luisangel Acuna and Ronny Mauricio. Plus, they’re not done. Our new owner has, for all intents and purposes, unlimited money and will not hesitate to spend it.

    In closing, this should no longer be an issue of big brother/little brother in New York. This signing shows that there are now two big brothers in this city. At the end of the day, though, it comes down to winning. Neither of these two teams have won anything in 15 years, and both have the opportunity this offseason to change that for years to come. March cannot get here soon enough.

    Surprise, surprise. Rob Manfred is ruining baseball again.

    Earlier this week, Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred came out and said there’s been significant “buzz” regarding a newly proposed rule change. This rule is being referred to as the “golden at-bat,” and, if implemented, would allow teams to put their best players at the plate in big situations once a game.

    Although this rule change is in the conversation-only stage at the moment, it points to a big issue that’s been created by Manfred since he took over. Every year there are new rule changes created to draw new eyes to the sport, and it’s starting to go overboard.

    Sure, I’m a fan of banning the shift. I like keeping players at their positions, for anything other than the sake of simplicity.

    Sure, I’m a fan of the pitch clock. In my opinion, it actually makes the game more reminiscent of the 80’s and 90’s.

    Sure, I’m a fan of the three-batter minimum. I hate the constant stoppage of play, watching commercial after commercial because of “lefty specialists.”

    SURE, I’m a fan of starting extra innings with a man on second. I hate being tired at work on a Wednesday in May because I watched my team lose in the 16th inning the night prior.

    This, however; the fact that it’s even being considered; is too much.

    At what point is baseball no longer baseball? I understand making the game more appealing to a younger audience, but a rule like this is just pushing out the fans that have been loyal to the sport from the beginning.

    Why is this MLB regime so obsessed with drastically increasing offense? It’s catering to the rotten TikTok brains that need constant dopamine and can’t appreciate something like a good pitching performance. It’s catering to the gamblers only watching because they put too much money on the over. It’s catering to everyone except the fans from which they made all their money up to this point.

    Honestly, this is not just a baseball problem. The NBA is worse than ever with teams chucking up terrible threes and playing no defense. In the NFL, just about every rule favors the offense (especially the quarterback). This score-heavy, fantasy and gambling mindset is making sports boring to watch for fans who truly appreciate them.

    So, as a final note to the commissioner and the owners: don’t even think about it. Stop changing the game so many of us love as a favor to the sportsbooks. It’s bad enough to have ads shoved in our face in every aspect of the game, we don’t also need the product on the field to change this drastically.

    To the fans: there’s going to come a point where we shouldn’t accept this anymore, and this rule change may just be the start.

    There are multiple trainwrecks in East Rutherford.

    The last decade has not been kind to the Jets and Giants. Between the quarterback and coaching carousels, public embarrassments, draft misses and losing records, these two football teams haven’t given their fans anything to be happy about. They have one combined playoff win since the Giants’ 2011 season Super Bowl win, and the Jets haven’t even been to the playoffs since the 2010 season.

    Despite multiple chances to rebuild and turn the franchises around, both remain at the bottom of the league year in and year out.

    The Good

    Nothing.

    The Bad (Giants)

    I cannot for the life of me understand how the New York Football Giants have allowed Daniel Jones to start in this league for five seasons. Anyone except, evidently, the Giants’ front office can see that he is not an NFL quarterback.

    Jones was drafted sixth overall in the 2019 draft out of Duke University. There was not one reasonable fan who felt that was a good draft pick by the Giants. They reached for this mediocre quarterback because he attended the Manning Passing Academy. Owner John Mara was so disgusted with Eli Manning being benched for Geno Smith a few years prior, that he allowed Manning to have a significant input on this draft selection.

    After a few seasons, it was clear to most people that the Giants got the pick wrong. However, after a few “Danny Dimes” moments and a playoff win, the G-Men extended the quarterback to a 4-year $160 million deal.

    This year, it’s become evident that the front office doubled down on what was already a bad mistake. Over Jones’s career, the Giants have done a pretty decent job of figuring out other aspects of the game. They have restructured their offensive line, a position group that was terrible during the last few years of the Manning era, and have built some pretty great defenses over the last couple seasons (although their run defense is at the bottom of the league in 2024). They’ve had some offensive weapons such as Malik Nabers and Saquon Barkley but not much else. However, the quarterback underthrowing and overthrowing constantly has not given anyone a chance to really break out.

    After this year, it looks like the Giants once again need to start over.

    The Ugly (Jets)

    On the other side of town (just kidding, they still share a stadium for some reason), the Jets are in the midst of what was supposed to be a last ditch effort to save the franchise. The team has not been able to figure out the quarterback since their last playoff appearance in 2011. They’ve tried aging veterans such as Michael Vick, they’ve had some draft picks play poorly under terrible coaches then go on to have decent careers, such as Sam Darnold and Geno Smith, and just plain bad draft picks such as Zach Wilson.

    Now, the Jets are relying on an aging Aaron Rodgers, who was not great in his last year in Green Bay and is coming off a major injury, to lead this team to the playoffs. After 10 weeks, this is borderline impossible with the Jets sitting at 3-7.

    For a team that was supposed to be a quarterback away, they look horrible. This defense, which is the reason General Manager Joe Douglas still has a job, cannot make a tackle. Breece Hall, another gem draft pick from Douglas, has more fumbles than touchdowns. The wide receiver corps, including Garrett Wilson and Davante Adams, has been running wrong routes all season. Rodgers hasn’t looked like his hall-of-fame self this year, but the problems go WAY deeper than that.

    The Jets nuked the franchise in an effort to get a developed quarterback, who will still cost the team $49 million against the cap if he retires next season. They’re going to have a ton of work to do to pull the team out of purgatory.

    In closing, what happens now with these two teams? Frankly, I believe both are screwed, with the Jets in a slightly worse position.

    The Giants will likely have a top five pick in the 2025 draft, and there are some interesting names at quarterback that may be available, such as Shedeur Sanders, Cam Ward, Jalen Milroe and Quinn Ewers. The Jets better hope one of them are available when they pick, because I can’t see Rodgers at 41 years old going through another training camp after a losing season.

    Both teams need to start over at the most important position in football, so if they can’t bring anything to their fans, they can at least bring hope.

    Anthony Richardson subbed himself out of his starting job.

    In the Indianapolis Colts’ 20-23 loss to the Houston Texans on Sunday, 22-year-old quarterback Anthony Richardson asked to be subbed out prior to a big third down. In his own words, he was “tired,” and “that was a lot of running out there.” In response to this, the Colts are replacing him for the rest of the season with veteran Joe Flacco.

    Obviously, you cannot do this as a quarterback in the NFL. No matter how tired you are, you’re supposed to be the leader on the field for every single snap, and the paychecks reflect that. You lose the respect of your teammates when you essentially give up on the team because you’re out of breath. It’s selfishness personified.

    That being said, this is an irresponsible decision from Indianapolis. Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for young quarterbacks getting some time on the bench to learn behind a veteran. However, this should’ve been done his rookie year. They already threw him to the wolves in year one, and now it just feels like they’re giving up on him.

    This team that has not been able to figure out the quarterback position since Andrew Luck announced his early retirement in 2019. Anthony Richardson is a very young man who has an insane amount of raw talent. Letting him rot on the bench will just hinder his confidence at this point.

    Richardson makes some very dumb decisions on the field. Terrible red zone interceptions, bad reads, and now this subbing out fiasco, but I believe he’s young enough to learn from these mistakes. He’s so physically gifted that I believe these are growing pains worth working through. In fact, I believe he has the most potential out of any any quarterback from the 2023 draft class. Bryce Young looks like a lost cause in Carolina. CJ Stroud looks to be going through some kind of sophomore slump, as he’s panicked in the pocket and has trouble getting the ball out. Will Levis creates a new meme every week with some of the bone-headed decisions he makes.

    Again, I’m not saying learning how to handle yourself in the NFL from an experienced quarterback like cool Joe is a bad thing, but I do think this situation could’ve been handled much better. I believe this move will do more damage than good.

    NFL week one reaction:

    NFL football, the entree to college football’s appetizer, is officially in full swing. Now that each team has finished its first game, we can fire off some more accurate takes and predictions regarding what should be a fun year.

    Of course, I got slaughtered gambling on the games this week, picking up right where I left off from last year. I’m usually hotter than hot when it comes to week one, opening day etc. but I’m 3-8 to start the NFL/college season.

    That being said, it’s probably better to take everything I say in this post with a grain of salt.

    The good:

    I’ll start with the Dallas Cowboys, and I’ll call them exactly what they are: a great regular-season team. Dak Prescott is a very good quarterback in this league, and has a top-three wide receiver to throw the ball to in Ceedee Lamb. This defense is still one of, if not the best in the league and is borderline impossible to score on at home and against division rivals.

    Am I happy that Ezekiel Elliot is a first-string running back in 2024? Of course not. However, when the Cowboys have the ball within 5 yards of the end zone it still seems as if he’s an automatic touchdown.

    I can absolutely see the Cowboys winning the division this year (and inventing a new way to lose in the Wild Card Round).

    Next, I want to talk about some quarterbacks I really like around this league. Baker Mayfield had some perfect passes this Sunday, and went on to throw for four touchdowns against a decent Washington team. I’ve always been a big fan of his, and couldn’t be happier that he finally found the right fit.

    Although there were some bad decisions and overthrows mixed in, I was very impressed with Anthony Richardson in his first game back from injury. He threw a few bombs from odd positions and used his arm and legs to get into the end zone. Although he only went 9/19 with 212 yards and a 2:1 TD to interception ratio, I believe the rust will be shaken off come week two.

    Sam Darnold looked like a new quarterback in his return to East Rutherford. He completed his first 12 passes, and his two touchdowns lead the Vikings to a 28-6 win against the Giants. He hit Justin Jefferson for some large gains and looked comfortable in his new role.

    The so-so:

    Let’s start with a team that I believe overachieved in 2023, and may have fooled some people into thinking they were a clear-cut division winner in 2024: the Green Bay Packers.

    I’ve been hearing all offseason from outlets such as ESPN, Fox Sports, even Friday Beers that Jordan Love will win the NFL MVP this year. Let’s slow down folks! He had a very good season last year and turned it into a huge contract. However, he definitely doesn’t crack my top 5, and I believe he is one of the more overrated players in the NFL today. How quickly we forget that Patrick Mahomes plays in this same league.

    Now that Love will miss a few weeks with a knee injury, Malik Willis will need to win at least one game to avoid essentially ending the Packers’ season. One of the league favorites heading into 2024 is facing a huge disaster early on.

    Sticking with the NFC North, Caleb Williams looked okay in his NFL debut. There’s not much he can do with an offensive line that gives him no time, which is the complete opposite position he was in at USC. The defense/special teams earned Chicago the win on Sunday, but Williams leading the offense did not look great. He needs to get the ball off a bit quicker, or the line needs to figure out how to get him another second in the pocket. Otherwise, he’ll likely miss time with an injury down the road.

    In Los Angeles, the Raiders fell to the Chargers 10-22. However, I don’t think quarterback Gardner Minshew looked that bad. People have been talking about how bad the Vegas quarterback room is all offseason, but I truly think this sentiment is incorrect.

    I’ve made it clear in the past that I believe Minshew is more than capable of being a starting quarterback in this league. He’s had success in the past, and showed some great decision-making on Sunday. It won’t be a great season, but there will be no risk of Minshew losing the starting job to Aidan O’Connell.

    The bad:

    The New York Giants are as disgusting a football team as the uniforms they wore this weekend. How many years can we run the Daniel Jones experiment? Neutral fans, haters, and even (most) Giants fans can see that it just isn’t working, so why can’t the front office see that?

    The defense will get a pass this week due to the horrific quarterback play, but they didn’t look very good against Sam Darnold either. Year in and year out, the Giants are at the bottom of the league and are the most BORING team it watch. I can confidently say nothing has changed this year.

    The Cleveland Browns still owe the pervert (who now has another allegation against him) over $100 million until 2027. This, I believe, will go down as the worst contract in NFL history. Watson and the Browns hit rock bottom against Dallas on Sunday, and we’re maybe two weeks from a phantom injury to the quarterback, because his contract is guaranteed and there’s no reason for him to trot out there and lose. The Browns continue to prove that they are the worst-run organization in professional sports.

    Lastly, the Cincinnati Bengals’ offense ruined a lot of survivor pools (including one of mine) with their embarrassing loss to the New England Patriots. Joe Burrow was visibly uncomfortable in the pocket, and missed reads to star wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase (who wasn’t in game shape himself) on multiple occasions.

    This team is so far from the one that went to the Super Bowl a few years ago, and it looks like the Ravens are miles ahead of them in terms of talent. Let’s hope that this game was a product of injury jitters from Burrow, and that he snaps out of it starting next week.

    Some gambles:

    For this upcoming week, some plays I like are:

    Colts -3

    The Love injury may take some steam out of the Packers’ home opener, and the weather is not yet cold enough to be a factor. I like Richardson and the Colts as road favorites.

    Seahawks -3

    I won’t be fooled by the Patriots’ week one win. I don’t believe they’re even a half-decent football team, and I liked what I saw from Geno Smith on Sunday.

    Bucs +7

    Again, I really like Baker Mayfield. I do believe the Lions are the better team, but I believe the Bucs will keep this game close.