Article by: Justin Imler 

Article by: Harrison Weaver

Growing up as a college football fan, I remember first-hand what the landscape usually looks like. Ever since I was a kid, I’d wake up on Saturday mornings, anxious to start my day with College Gameday and to watch the big headliner games throughout the day. Penn State was always on the TV, along with whatever the nationally broadcasted games were on. I distinctly remember a lot of them being colossal SEC battles. I also remember when South Carolina upset #1 Alabama back in 2010. Oh, and the instant classic #1 LSU versus #2 Alabama game from back in 2011. How about in 2009 when #1 Alabama blocked the game-winning field goal attempt to survive against Tennessee, or the famous Auburn kick-six to win the Iron Bowl in 2013. The list could go on and on. My point is that growing up, the SEC has run college football, and often times these conference matchups would play a huge part in who was the national champion that year.

​However, in recent years, things have been a bit different.
In case you were one of the people making the argument that the SEC has declined in terms of depth and the number of title contenders it produces every year, you may have had a valid point for a little while. With the rise of the new Clemson dynasty in the ACC, a loaded Big 10, and a generally more balanced scale of power in college football, the SEC hasn’t been lights-out dominant like it was a few years ago. Let me highlight what that dominance looked like. For six straight years, from 2006-2012, an SEC team brought home the National Championship trophy. Florida and Alabama won 2, and LSU and Auburn both won once. The SEC has won 10 out of the last 15, and at least one SEC team has been featured in 11 of the last 12 National Championship games.

There is a catch though, strictly when it comes to discussing the balance of conference power. While all of those stats above are true, the SEC has only won 2 championships the past 6 years and each of those were thanks to Alabama. The SEC has been very top heavy as of recent. Most of the weight has been carried by Alabama and Georgia while teams like LSU, Auburn, Florida, Texas A&M, Tennessee, etc., have all been relatively disappointing over that span. With the Big 10 featuring Penn State, Ohio State, Michigan State, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Iowa constantly in the Top 25, the Big 12 with Oklahoma, Texas, Oklahoma State, West Virginia, and the ACC with Clemson, Florida State, Miami, Virginia, Syracuse, Virginia Tech, the PAC12 with Oregon, Washington, USC, Utah, Stanford, Washington State, Cal, Arizona State, the major conferences have become a lot more balanced top to bottom.

However, this year, we’re getting a little blast from the past. Heading into Week 5, the SEC has 6 teams in the Top 25, and 2 others in Missouri and Mississippi State that are knocking on the door. Of those 6 teams, 5 of them are in the Top 10, and 3 of them are Top 5. Here they are in order: #2 Alabama, #3 Georgia, #4 LSU, #7 Auburn, and # 9 Florida. Alabama is as good as they have ever been under Nick Saban. Georgia is picking up more steam after beating #7 Notre Dame last weekend in a hard-fought game. LSU has been a juggernaut on offense behind Joe Burrow as they’re averaging 57.8 points per game. For anybody who doubted Auburn and freshman QB Bo Nix, they’ve done nothing but impress with speed on offense and some impressive early victories. As for Florida, in case you were wondering how they’d do after losing starting QB Feleipe Franks to a season-ending injury, they’re humming right along with excellent defense and the offense hasn’t missed a beat.

The real fun begins next week when Auburn and Florida tee it off. This will be the beginning of the classic cannibalism that takes place as the top SEC teams beat each other up and it turns into a survival of the fittest. The following week, Florida takes on LSU and Alabama goes on the road to A&M. Week 9, we get LSU versus Auburn. Week 11, the brawl between Alabama and LSU. Week 12 we get a rematch of the Miracle at Jordan-Hare between Auburn and Georgia. And finally, on Week 14, the good ole Iron Bowl.

To sum everything up, the SEC is back and better than ever. We have yet to see who is going to win out in these matchups, or if they can all avoid upsets before they even happen. Either way, conference play in the SEC is going to be absolute war and the playing field is finally about even. All we have to do as fans is sit back and watch it all unfold. 

To keep up with all things sports, be sure to keep it here at Heated Sports!

Article by: Zach Henley

We’re already two weeks into the 100th NFL season, and to start the third week, the Washington Redskins and Chicago Bears face off on Monday Night Football. The Chicago Bears come into the showdown after their walk-off win in Denver. After their win, they’re 1-1 and the defense has showed once again that they’re here to play. The biggest question mark is quarterback Mitchell Trubisky. Heading into the season, Trubisky was projected to have a career year and help lead the Bears to a deep playoff run. Aside from their stellar defense, the Bears might have finally found a consistent kicker, but have to start over as it looks like Eddy Pineiro has suffered a leg injury. Pineiro hit the game winner in Denver, and the Bears thought they had found their kicker after Cody Parkey blew their playoff hopes last season.
           
​The Redskins come into the matchup 0-2 and have struggled in the second half of games.  In their first two games of the season, the Redskins have gotten out to a lead each time and blow the lead in the second half, mainly the third quarter. The defense was set to have a solid year with the addition of big-time safety Landon Collins paired up with Josh Norman. Surprisingly the offense has showed up to play. Even with the addition of the best quarterback in the draft, Case Keenum has showed he can start in the NFL. Rookie WR Terry McLaurin has surprised everyone with his speed and his improvement of catching tough passes. The Redskins need to pull out a win if they want to gain momentum and keep up with the rest of the NFC East. All three teams each have at least one win and the Redskins still have yet to get one. Another big note, is that the Redskins are 0-6 in their last 6 Monday Night games. 

Article by: Pete Caceci 

After losing his endorsement with Nike on Thursday, and then being released by the Patriots on Friday, WR Antonio Brown went to Twitter early this morning that he will no longer be playing in the NFL.  He cited his reasoning as the poor treatment that the league owners from the teams he had recently been affiliated with.

Brown was on contract for the 2019-20 season and had an option of playing the following season depending on what happened with the current allegations.  He also had only played with the Patriots for one game against the Dolphins last Sunday, getting one touchdown and catching four passes.  Not long after the victory, a new accuser came out and stated that Brown had tried to sexually assault her.  The Patriots organization then quickly made the decision to release him, since they are still dealing with owner Robert Kraft’s massage parlor scandal.

Much to the surprise of the league, Brown took to social media to thank Patriot’s QB Tom Brady and the rest of the team for giving him the opportunity to sign him and give him a chance.  Following this move, questions began to rise as to where Brown would lean towards.  No one reached out to him, nor his agent, and after two days of silence, Brown made the final decision on Twitter.
 
With both the Raiders and Patriots releasing Brown, he has officially lost out on nearly $30 million for this season alone.  In my opinion, he deserves everything that is coming to him.  At the end of my previous article, Brown has created more problems with more organizations than any NFL player in my lifetime.  Who knows if the allegations are true, but if you put those aside, his actions with head coach Jon Gruden and the Raiders general manager Mike Mayock are despicable.  Honestly, this man could have had anything if he kept his mouth shut and just stuck to doing what he does best.  I hope this is a wake-up call for him, because his achievements that he made will now be heavily overshadowed by his immature actions.

Article by: Harrison Weaver

Week 4 of the college football season finally offers something for us to get really excited about. We get three Top-25 matchups, one of them being a Top-10 matchup. If there was ever a Saturday to invite family and friends over, stock the cooler, and watch college football all day, this is the day. Last week I went 5-1 on my picks, missing the Michigan State versus Arizona State matchup that came down to the wire. Florida survived a scare at Kentucky to remain unbeaten, the rest of the Top-10 cruised to easy wins, Maryland had a major let-down at the hands of Temple, and Penn State was able to make a few defensive stands to seal a victory against Pitt. This week we can expect a little more mayhem with the high stakes matchups that are on the slate. So, without further ado, let’s get into my Week 4 picks.

#11 Michigan @ #13 Wisconsin (Saturday @ 12 PM on FOX)
Michigan barely survived against Army two weekends ago as they almost lost in regulation on a last second field goal before securing the OT victory. Meanwhile, through two games, Wisconsin is outscoring their opponents 110-0. They haven’t even let anyone score yet… and the offense is booming behind Heisman candidate Jonathan Taylor. Wisconsin has home field in this one, and my best bet is that they’ll show up ready to play. To me, this game is more about Michigan though. They were the team with higher expectations, the team with playoff hype. So far, they’ve looked nothing like that. I attribute the slow start to poor play calling, poor situational football, and Shae Patterson needing to step it up a notch. In this game, I think Michigan is going to come out more confident and aggressive, with a better game plan. Despite the Badgers being favorites at home, I’m taking Michigan to step up and steal this one.
My pick: Michigan, 24-20

#8 Auburn @ #17 Texas A&M (Saturday @ 3:30 PM on CBS)
Here it is, Auburn’s first big SEC matchup of the season. Bo Nix has been absolutely terrific this season and the whole team is going into this game with a good rhythm. Anybody who reads my articles though knows that I’ve been raving about A&M all season. They couldn’t quite hang with Clemson two weeks ago, but this young group is hungry for a big win and will be playing with the 12th Man behind them at Kyle Field. This will be Bo Nix’s first game in a truly hostile environment, and I think he has some troubles in this one with the athletic A&M defense. This game will be a guaranteed back-and-forth slugfest, but I like the experience of Kellen Mond, with Jimbo Fisher on the sideline, and the 12th Man at their back.
My pick: Texas A&M, 31-28
 
#3 Georgia vs. #7 Notre Dame (Saturday @ 8:00 PM on CBS)
In what may very well be the game of the week, the Dawgs will be hosting the Fighting Irish in Athens. I’ve personally always been on the ‘Notre Dame is overrated and plays an easy schedule’ train, and I’m going to remain on that train until they can beat a top team. Georgia has been looking downright nasty behind Jake Fromm and what appears to be 5 NFL caliber running backs. Notre Dame has had issues this season stopping the run, which will mean that Kirby Smart will look to pound the rock and wear out the Notre Dame defense as much as he can. Ian Book is currently leading the Irish in both passing and rushing which is a slight concern for me. Playing against one of the best run defenses in the country, the Irish will need to be able to run the ball in order to open up their passing game. I don’t think they have the talent to get it done. This is an easy one for me.
Georgia, 38-27

#10 Utah @ USC (Friday @ 9 PM on FS1)
Even after a heartbreaking loss in overtime on the road against a tough BYU team, USC is still off to a very promising start this year. Kedon Slovis, another true-freshman QB has looked really good for his age and level of experience. When starting QB JT Daniels went down, a lot of Trojan fans began to get a little uneasy. Luckily, Slovis has stepped up and eased that concern by showing some excellent potential. However, this is Utah’s year to make some noise. The Utes have a stacked defense and plenty of weapons on offense. They’ve looked impressive so far, hence the #10 ranking. I like the Utes in this one.
My pick: Utah, 34-27

#9 Florida @ Tennessee (Saturday @ 12 PM on ESPN)
Florida versus Tennessee, a classic SEC rivalry. Tennessee finally got their first win last weekend against Chattanooga after a very rocky start. Meanwhile, the Gators overcame an 11-point deficit entering the 4th quarter against Kentucky last weekend to remain unbeaten. Unfortunately, it cost them starting QB Feleipe Franks in the 3rd quarter. The offense ended up playing great in the 4th quarter but I’m still waiting for a larger sample size before I can determine how this offense is going to look the rest of the season. Luckily, the Gators have an elite defense to lean on, and Tennessee has been very inconsistent on offense. For that reason, I think Florida wins, keeping Tennessee at arm’s length the whole way.
My pick: Florida, 31-20

​#12 Texas versus Oklahoma State (Saturday @ 7:30 on ABC)
The rest of the season is must-win for the Longhorns after losing to LSU in primetime a few weekends ago. I think Sam Ehlinger and the Texas offense are fully capable of carrying that burden, but the problem is the defense. Allowing 417.3 yards per game, with 330 of them coming through the air, the Horns make themselves very vulnerable to slip-ups throughout the season. Oklahoma State has taken care of their easy opponents so far and have beaten all of them in style. However, this game is in Texas, and the Horns know they have their backs against the wall. This scenario doesn’t spell out an upset in my opinion.
My pick: Texas, 48-35

To keep up with all things sports, be sure to keep it here at Heated Sports!

Article by: Zach Henley

All season long, Mike Trout for the Los Angeles Angels and Christian Yelich have been neck and neck in season totals. Now since they are in different leagues, each can potentially win their league’s MVP…until the dreaded injury bug hit.

Mike Trout has been out of the lineup since September 7 and had a planned return for September 15 but was scratched due to lingering pain. After numerous tests, it was concluded that he a neuroma in his right foot and that surgery was needed to remove it. The Angels haven’t made the playoffs since 2014 and this season seemed hopeful to reach that goal again.

Through 134 games, Trout collected monster stats in another MVP year. Trout hit.291 with a career high 45 home runs and notched his third 100 RBI season with 104. He leads the AL in WAR, OBP, SLG, and OPS. His 184 OPS+ is in the top three of his career. Another key stat is that he passed Derek Jeter in WAR with 73.6 and the superstar isn’t even 30 years old yet.

Trout should be the favorite to win the AL MVP because even though he suffered an injury, he hasn’t played in 2 weeks and is still leading the league in respected categories and shows that he a constantly amazing hitter.
 
In the other league, there have been several players that have shown that they might have what it takes to win the MVP crown. Pete Alonso of the Mets has shown he has the power and numbers but lacks the average and consistency. Ronald Acuna has the average and electric play but lacks power and consistency. There is one player who has all of those things plus more and that is Christian Yelich. Yelich has been the saving grace for the Brewers as they have been fighting for a playoff spot all season. Early this month, Yelich was in Miami for a series against the Marlins and was hit by a pitch. He would leave that game early and was announced that his kneecap was shattered and would miss the rest of the season.

Yelich, coming off his 2018 MVP season was having another great season worthy of some more hardware for the 27-year-old. At the point of his injury, Yelich was hitting .329 with 44 homeruns and had 97 RBI's. The injury is going to sideline him for 8-10 weeks while the Brewers remain one game outside a wild card berth.

Like Trout, Yelich was putting together another amazing season and is doing it at the same age as Trout. Yelich is also deserving of the MVP award because this season he showed why he is so valuable to the Brewers and probably wouldn’t be in the playoff race without him.

To keep up with all things sports, be sure to keep it here at Heated Sports!

Article by: Justin Imler

Steeler Nation took a big hit Sunday afternoon when future Hall of Fame quarterback “Big Ben” Roethlisberger exited the game mid-way through the 2nd quarter with an apparent elbow injury. Not much detail was provided during the game, but Ben remained on the sideline for the remainder of the game, while backup QB Mason Rudolph filled in, and played pretty well in their 28-26 loss to Seattle.
 
As all of Pittsburgh waited in anticipation for the next 24 hours, it was revealed early Monday morning that Roethlisberger would indeed need surgery on his injured throwing elbow, ultimately ending his season. This blow is about as big as they come to an NFL team, especially when it happens to a team like Pittsburgh, who had high hopes for the 2019-2020 season.
 
Now it’s time for 2nd year QB out of Oklahoma State Mason Rudolph to take the helm and run the offense for the Black and Gold. Rudolph was impressive in his professional debut in relief for Roethlisberger, going 12-19 for 112 yards, 2 TDs (both to TE Vance McDonald), and 1 INT (drop by WR Donte Moncrief). Rudolph was drafted in the 3rd round of the 2018 draft by Pittsburgh, the highest the franchise has drafted a QB since Roethlisberger, who was drafted 11th  overall in 2004. This led to some conflict at first with the star QB, who was not happy that the team took a QB that early in the draft, seemingly saying he had a lot left in the tank before he planned on calling it a career. Now, whether either of them likes it or not, it’s time for Rudolph to run the show for the remainder of the season and show what he can do. He has a golden opportunity to prove that he can be the future of the franchise once they officially reach the post-Roethlisberger era.
 
As an active member of Steeler Nation, I’m feeling a mixture of emotions. I’ve been on the Rudolph hype train since before he was drafted by the Steelers and was very excited to see him perform well in the preseason, win the backup job, and play decent in his debut on Sunday. With that being said, this team won’t be able to compete at the level that they’d like without Roethlisberger running the offense. I am however, trying to stay positive, and am excited to see how Rudolph plays throughout the season. This is his team now, and he needs to take advantage of this opportunity.
 
Roethlisberger made an official statement later on Monday explaining his disappointment in missing the season, supporting Rudolph, and his plans for the future.
 
“…I can only trust God's plan, but I am completely determined to battle through this challenge and come back stronger than ever next season. The Steelers committed three years to me this offseason and I fully intend to honor my contract and reward them with championship level play. I will do all I can to support Mason and the team this season to help win games. I love this game, my teammates, the Steelers organization and fans, and I feel in my heart I have a lot left to give.”
 
Only time will tell as to how this season pans out for Pittsburgh, but here’s some positive news for Steelers fans. The team ended up trading for Miami Dolphins S/CB Minkah Fitzpatrick late Monday night, who recently demanded to be traded from the sinking ship that is the Miami Dolphins, for their 2020 1st round pick. Fitzpatrick was drafted 11th overall in 2018 by Miami and has shown a lot of potential in his short NFL career. Personally, I love this move, and it’s one that makes sense if you’re Pittsburgh. The safety position is arguably their biggest need remaining on their defense, with Sean Davis being banged up early on, and backup Kameron Kelly not getting the job done in his place. Head coach Mike Tomlin said Tuesday afternoon that Davis will be placed on injured reserve, which means that Fitzpatrick will be in the starting lineup for their week 3 matchup in San Francisco.
 
All in all, I’m not giving up hope on a successful season in Pittsburgh. Will they be able to compete with the AFC powerhouses in Kansas City and New England? No, but I’d still expect this team to put up a fight throughout the season and win some games under Rudolph, along with a young and improving defense. 


To keep up with all things sports, be sure to keep it here at Heated Sports!

Article by: Pete Caceci

After a 13-year drought, Spain took home the trophy after defeating Argentina 95-75.  This win shocked the world, as many thought this team consisted of outsiders and dysfunction as soon as the tournament began. 

​The Spanish team had complete dominance in the game, scoring first and never allowing their opponent to strike equally back.  Their swarming interior defense and overall superior rebounding abilities took away the confidence that Argentina had coming into the game.  Point guard Ricky Rubio shined as he scored 20 points and three assists, whereas current-NBA champion Marc Gasol and Willy Hernangoez were able to swat three shots each.  By the end of the game, the Spanish team had pulled down 47 rebounds, close to double of what Argentina could manage.

Marc Gasol seems to be finding success everywhere he goes.  He had a great hand in helping the Toronto Raptors claim their very first NBA title, and he was now able to lift the Spanish team back into the limelight.  Prior to claiming the trophy, he was able to push his team passed Australia in the semi-finals by scoring 33 points and not allowing any shot over him.  Gasol knew when facing Argentina how to stop their aggressive offense by standing in the driving lanes.  This effect would force his opponents to make far shots that could not fall.

​Both Gasol and teammate Rubio were heavily rewarded for their dominance and leadership in Spain’s undefeated run to the gold medal.  After the game, Rubio was honored as the tournament’s most valuable player.  “Right now, we made history, and we were ready for that.  We had a great tournament , (but) you’ve got to give credit to Argentina, we had to fight for this win,” Rubio told a post-game news conference.  “It’s just amazing how the whole tournament has been us as a team, and you can tell.  We weren’t the most talented team, the biggest team, put whatever you want, but we were the team that had the big heart.”

This victory has allowed fans from everywhere to see how the sport of basketball is no longer dominated by the United States.  In a recent article by fellow Heated Sports writer Harrison Weaver, the United States did not show the constant force that typically other countries can’t compete against.  For this year’s tournament, they were able to place seventh overall, and snapped a 58-game win streak.  We have seen over the recent years other players from other countries dominate the league and capture success that stems from recently retired Tony Parker to the “Greek Freak” Giannis Antetokounmpo.  Hopefully, this victory can be seen from the rest of the world as a beam of hope, as they can help their country place at the top and earn their spot to play in the NBA.

To keep up with all things sports, be sure to keep it here at Heated Sports!

Article by: Harrison Weaver

Welcome back, readers. For those of you that keep up with my articles, you know that I cover a lot of basketball and college football. Today, I feel the need to cover a little bit of both. So why not? First, let me get into a little bit of college football. Basketball fans, if you don’t have any interest, then feel free to scroll to the bottom. Down there, I’ll be going into what happened to Team USA in the FIBA World Cup, and what it means for US Basketball; now, I move on to NCAA football.
 
Last week, I gave you all a look into my college football crystal ball, predicting that Clemson, Texas, and Penn State would all win, including Penn State winning 179-3. Unfortunately, my crystal ball was a little blurry this past weekend, and I apologize for that. While Clemson took care of business and while Penn State didn’t win 179-3, they did manage to cover the -31.5 spread after an incredible second-half performance. However, I let you all down with my Texas versus LSU prediction. Texas had a few opportunities to jump out early, but Joe Burrows and the LSU offense were humming along all game and kept Texas playing catch-up the entire time. This week, I’m going to try to do a little better. So, let’s get into it.
 
Week 3 Pick’em
 
Penn State versus Pitt (12PM ET on ABC)
Scroll through Penn State Barstool or Pitt Barstool for a couple of minutes and you’ll see the animosity these two schools have for each other. After a rough start against Buffalo, Penn State was able to turn on the burners and take down the Bulls in style, winning 45-13. Pitt lacks the necessary pieces to consistently move the ball against Penn State’s strong defense and I think the defensive line with give QB Kenny Pickett problems all game long. I also like the rhythm Penn State’s offense has been able to find, outside of the first half against Buffalo. I see it as something they can build upon and develop, and I see nothing changing in this game.
 
My pick: Penn State, 38-17
 
Iowa versus Iowa State (4PM ET on FS1)
Two teams that a lot of people were high on to start the season, the in-state rivals find themselves matched up this week to fight for the Cy-Hawk Trophy. Iowa barely survived what ended up being a thrilling 3OT game against FCS Northern Iowa. Iowa has taken care of business on their end, outscoring their opponents 68-14 thus far. These Iowa vs. Iowa State games are always close though, so don’t be fooled. This game will be a slow-and-steady grind, don’t get your hopes up for a lot of offense. My pick, Iowa wins a close game behind the arm of Nate Stanley and their rock-solid defense.
 
My pick: Iowa, 21-17
 
#25 Virginia versus Florida State (7:30 ET on ACC Network)
Hey social media fans, did any of you see the picture of FSU wide receiver Tre McKitty line up backward last weekend against UL Monroe? If not, here you go, enjoy. Florida State’s offense is looking vastly improved this season, which could be a sign of hope in the future. Their defense though still is very subpar and they almost lost last weekend to UL Monroe...meanwhile Virginia has looked like an ACC Coastal contender. The grass keeps getting greener for Virginia.
 
My pick: Virginia, 38-24
 
Other Picks:
Stanford @ UCF (3:30 PM on ESPN)
UCF, 31-21
 
Washington State @ Houston (Friday @ 9:15 PM on ESPN)
Washington State, 45-38
 
#18 Michigan State vs. Arizona State (4PM ET on FOX)
Michigan State, 34-17

Team USA Woes

​I’m going to start this off by being very straightforward. Who cares? This is not a big deal. A lot of these international players are experienced, savvy, have developed chemistry with fellow players, and can definitely ball. While Team USA is easily the most talented, they were not the biggest, most experienced, most fluid team in this tournament. This team was very far from the Dream Teams of 1992 and 2008. This year’s FIBA World Cup team was led by the likes of Kemba Walker, Donovan Mitchell, and Jayson Tatum. That’s absolutely zero disrespect to any of those guys or anyone else on the roster. As I said, they are still the most talented team in the world, and that’s with only one top 20 player according to SI’s list of Top 100 Players for 2020. If anything, everyone on this roster got to compete against pro-level talent and got experience being leaders or learning new roles.
 
The downfall of this Team USA was the lack of chemistry, lack of size, and a heavy reliance on hero-ball when they got behind. It was very different than the look you would normally get from a Popovich-coached team. Remember, the two losses came against France and Serbia. Guess who played center for those teams? Rudy Gobert for France and Nikola Jokic for Serbia. Team USA was getting dominated in the paint and didn’t adjust well enough on offense when the shots stopped falling on offense. While it’s a bummer that the US international win streak with NBA players is snapped at 58 games, which featured 5 titles and spanned over five years.
 
The takeaway: Team USA wins the FIBA World Cup if the top guys play. I’d bet my college tuition money on that, plain and simple. International basketball can’t compete with a team made up of LeBron, Harden, Anthony Davis, KD, Paul George, Embiid, Steph Curry, etc. However, in an era of ‘load management’ and looking out for player health, a lot of top NBA players sat out to preserve their bodies, avoid injuries, and a few for other reasons. The result, Team USA’s talent was much more even with the international teams. That statement goes both ways. While this year’s Team USA was definitely B-list compared to teams of the past, international basketball is improving vastly year by year. We’ve seen excellent prospects come from across the seas for the past few drafts and there are more and more on the rise. They play very disciplined basketball and are well-coached. France and Serbia deserve a ton of credit for winning.
 
At the end of the day, losing does not mean too much. This just wasn’t our best team and we faced some tough matchups. I would advise basketball fans not to look too much into it. The NBA season begins next month, and that’s something to get very excited about with the new landscape and balance of power. While Team USA didn’t win the World Cup, we’ll have all of our favorite superstars and players back in action soon enough.


To keep up with all things sports, be sure to keep it here at Heated Sports!

Article by: ​Pete Caceci 

After months of controversial situations with the Raiders’ organization, star WR Antonio Brown was released and then immediately picked up by the New England Patriots.  They then settled on a 1-year $15 million deal that included a $9 million signing bonus. 
           
This of course was not the first team that Antonio has caused problems with off the field.  Just this past season, he sat out for the final game in response to a situation with Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger.  He would immediately go to social media once the season was officially over in February and post that it was time to “move on”.  Despite the fact that he was under contract for three more years, Brown wanted to leave the team and not look back.  After intense back-and-forth disputes between the team and Antonio, they finally reached a decision and sent their star receiver to the Oakland Raiders in March for a third and fifth-round draft pick, and a contract that was $50.13 million with $30.13 million of that guaranteed.
           
When the dust settled, and the situation was finally at rest, problems began to arise again with Brown.  This time it was with his new team.  Not long after the OTAs began, the helmet policy for the league changed, and Brown was not pleased.  He would go on to dispute the new ruling and would constantly clash with coaches as a result during practices.  It was reported that he would sneak out of practice, put his old helmet back on, and even try to have it painted to match the new one he had to use.  Brown would not quit, and by the start of the summer the Raiders could not believe what was unfolding in front of them.  The so-called “HelmetGate” was just the beginning of the end.  The team then placed Brown on the Non-Football Injury list with an issue that was not released to the public at the start of training camp.  Questions began to rise from all over, and then the story was exploited.  Brown’s feet were severely frostbitten after entering a cryotherapy machine while wearing unproper footwear.  His absence from the team rose in speculation on whether he was going to be of any use at all.  Just to add to the drama, he again would speak out to the team that he would never play for the Raiders unless he could use his old helmet. 
           
Once September had hit, nothing had changed between the Raiders and Brown.  The final straw began with team owner Mike Mayock getting into it with the All-Pro receiver.  This was an unfortunate moment, because AB had finally settled on a helmet to use for the upcoming game and both of his feet were fully healed.  Brown, during the exchange with Mayock, threatened to hit him in the face.  With suspensions and multiple fines on the table, it was only a matter of time before a controversial decision was made.  Then there was some light that shined, as coach Jon Gruden confirmed that Antonio Brown would play Week 1 against the Broncos after making a heartfelt apology to the team for his immature actions.  Like everything else that had happened, the peace between team and player suddenly vanished.  On Saturday morning, Brown took to social media and said, “You are gonna piss a lot of people off when you start doing what’s best for you,” ending the sentiment with a demand that the team should release him.  Following this, reports were coming out that the team had fined Brown more than $200,000 and voided $29.125 million of his supposed guarantees.  Later that day, the Oakland Raiders accepted the request and released Brown.  Just after 5 p.m. on the same day that he was released, Antonio Brown took to both Instagram and Twitter, and announced that he was signing with the Patriots. 
           
After going through this timeline of events, Antonio Brown should not deserve to be where he is today.  He has burned plenty of bridges since taking part in the drama with the Steelers.  Every person that I have seen on television, that has had some contact with him before being traded to the Patriots, has looked mentally exhausted and aggravated to the point where they do not want his name even brought up in interviews.  Good examples to look at would be Jon Gruden and Ben Roethlisberger.  It shocks me that the league has not put their foot down on Brown for the time and money that he has made these teams waste on him.  My thoughts towards the Patriots organization, I hope you know what you have put yourselves into.  Even for an elite business, with championships and excess, you probably do not know what can potentially happen if this man does not get what he wants, and this is coming from an Eagles fan.

​To keep up with all things sports, be sure to keep it here at Heated Sports!

Article by: Zach Henley

Since Jay Gruden took over in 2014, the Washington Redskins are 1-5 in season openers, with the only win coming last year against the Arizona Cardinals. Over the last six seasons, the compiled record for Washington is 35-44-1, and they've only made the playoffs once. Washington has also finished 3rd in the division the past 3 seasons and after blowing their 17 point lead yesterday, it looks like it’ll be another mediocre to below average season. The question is, why do the Redskins continue to let Jay Gruden coach? Answer: Dan Snyder.

Dan Snyder bought the Redskins in 2000 for $800 million and the team hasn’t been the same. The year before Snyder’s purchase, the Redskins went 10-6, won the division, and made the playoffs. The next year they went 8-8, coming short of the postseason. Since 2000, Washington has finished 3rd or worse in the division 15 times and have only made the playoffs 4 times. There are some theories to why the franchise has struggled in the past 18 years from inconsistent quarterbacks, like some being poor coaching to even bad drafting. Although Gruden is just another coach under who's been hired and struggled in Snyder's tenure, the fault has to go to both Dan Snyder and Jon Gruden specifically for the past 6 years.  

Now the silver lining for the Redskins is their draft class of 2019. The team drafted top QB Dwayne Haskins and his Ohio State teammate Terry McLaurin. Along with the offensive duo, the team drafted Montez Sweat. The team continues to get younger and the defense keep proving to be solid. Jay Gruden holds the team back with his poor play calling abilities and poor time management. This season is a make or break for Jay Gruden and if the team doesn’t perform well for this season, the team will and should let him go.

Article by: Harrison Weaver 

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Hello college football fans, and welcome back to more college football talk. I honestly don’t know where to begin. This amount of football coming back has me a little overwhelmed in the best way possible. The NFL kicks off tonight with the Packers versus Bears. I’d suggest heading over to your favorite sports bar or ordering a pizza and bunkering down in front of your TV. However, I’m not here to talk about that. I’m here to talk about how Oregon once again proved that they can’t thrive in the spotlight, Auburn wins a big game early but will get eaten alive in SEC play, and Tennessee finally gets a bit of hype and what do they do? They lose at home to Georgia State. Also, Mizzou and Kelly Bryant fell short at Wyoming. All of the Heisman favorites did nothing but impress of course. Oh, and let’s not forget about the battle we got two Saturdays ago between Florida and Miami, where Florida survived The U and their Turnover Chain. Week 1 was fun; Week 2 will be even more fun. There is just a ton to talk about, so let’s dive in.

The Oregon versus Auburn game was the perfect kickoff to primetime Saturday night college football. The Ducks came out and seized control from the get-go. With two quick-hitting touchdowns in the first quarter, Oregon led 14-3 at the half and eventually led 21-6 halfway through the third quarter. That’s when true freshman Bo Nix stepped up and led Auburn back to trail 21-20 as they got the ball back with under a minute remaining. With the ball on the 26-yard line with 13 seconds left, down by one, everyone was assuming the Tigers would try to gain some yards to get into better field goal range. That’s not what they had in mind. Bo Nix took the snap, dropped back, avoided pressure, and launched a pass down the left side to Seth Williams. With the defender looking the other way, Williams was able to snag it while falling back into the end zone. Touchdown Auburn. Game over. This was a huge game for both teams. For Auburn, they just seized momentum and confidence that they can win big games with Bo Nixon and the rest of this year’s squad. I still don’t think that they’re going to be able to get to the SEC championship though. Given they share a division with Alabama and LSU, Texas A&M, and that their schedule is a hacksaw. Nonetheless, this was a huge win for the Tigers, and in my opinion, they are very deserving of the top ten ranking they were given, at least for now. As for Oregon, the loss on Saturday night was a crushing blow. A team starting out the season ranked #11, led by a Heisman frontrunner, trying to prove that they can finally handle the spotlight, and they let this one slip away. If the Ducks have any hope of making the playoffs, they must win out the rest of the way and win the PAC12 Championship. They’ll have a couple of tricky road games at Stanford, at Washington, and at USC. My guess is that they will drop one of those. Luckily for Oregon, their loss came in Week 1 of the season and they have the whole rest of the season to prove that they deserve a spot in the playoffs.

Now onto a couple of lesser discussed games, with Tennessee and Missouri really disappointing in Week 1. Tennessee came into this season with a decent amount of hype, expected to be a dangerous dark horse that could surprise a few opponents. Jeremy Pruitt looks to continue his rebuild at Tennessee this year through added experience and better recruits. However, Tennessee found themselves down by two touchdowns late in the fourth quarter….at home….against Georgia State. They scored a late touchdown to make the score look a little better, but the Volunteers fell 38-30. You could hear a pin drop in Neyland Stadium. All the energy and optimism for the 2019 season seemed to disappear. They have an interesting matchup against BYU next week, but it will pose as the perfect opportunity for the Vols to bounce back and begin to turn this season around. As for Mizzou, they found themselves down by 17 in the third quarter on the road against Wyoming. They never recovered and lost 37-31. Personally, I came into this season excited to see what the Tigers could do with Clemson transfer Kelly Bryant at starting QB, along with the possibility that their bowl ban could be overturned. However, they will now likely spend the season fighting to regain their momentum and even have a chance to play in a bowl game, period. I have no doubt that Kelly Bryant knows how to lead a team and win games, but Missouri will need to play much better if they want to have a season they can build off of.

Now, onto the exciting part! Week 2 Predictions. There are not too many headliner games this weekend, but there are still plenty of games to get excited about. So here we go, time for my take on what’s coming this weekend.

#1 Clemson vs. #12 Texas A&M (Saturday @ 3:30 on ABC)
I absolutely raved about Texas A&M in my college football preview article from back in July. They’re a very young, but very talented team. With big, athletic players at every position, the Aggies are poised to make some noise this season and take the next step towards a championship in the coming years. However, it’s going to be tough for them to take down the upcoming dynasty taking place in Clemson. Running back Travis Etienne of Clemson had an incredible Week 1 performance for the Tigers, and Trevor Lawrence is favored to win the Heisman this year. Combine an explosive offense with a very talented defense, and it will be tough for anyone to beat the Tigers. Nothing but love for the Aggies, but I’m taking Clemson in this one.
My pick: Clemson, 34-24

​#6 LSU @ #9 Texas (Saturday @ 7:30 on ABC)
Our first Top 10 matchup of the season! Two college football blue bloods squaring up at Texas Memorial Stadium. Sam Ehlinger leading the Longhorns up against the Tigers and their fierce defense (I feel like I’ve talked about Tigers this entire article. Auburn Tigers, Missouri Tigers, Clemson Tigers, now LSU. Should I cover the Tennessee State Tigers too? In case you missed it, they just defeated Mississippi Valley State 26-20 in a thrilling Week 1 showdown.). For me, the aspect of LSU I questioned the most was QB Joe Burrow. The Ohio State transfer had some question marks around his ability to lead an elite offense after a decent season last year for the Tigers. However, he came out in Week 1, completed 85% of his passes, and threw for 278 yards and 5 touchdowns in a 55-3 win over Georgia Southern. Sam Ehlinger had an equally impressive performance, throwing for 276 yards and 4 touchdowns. Texas has the advantage of home field, and the Longhorn fan base will be very, very loud. I’ve been back and forth all week about this pick. I think the SEC West is due to bounce back and provide more competition for Alabama. However, I feel like the home field, the hype, the talent of Sam Ehlinger will tip the scale in the favor of the Longhorns. Look for the Horns to win a nail biter.
My pick: Texas, 31-27

#15 Penn State vs Buffalo (Saturday @7:30 on FOX)
Penn State is going to the playoffs, and Sean Clifford is going to win the Heisman. Devyn Ford was a machine running the ball last week. The Nittany Lion defense is what I would call an ‘absolute unit’. Nobody even has a chance at beating Penn State this year. After absolutely trouncing Idaho 79-7 and securing a viral hit-stick moment during the game, Coach Franklin and the Nittany Lions are marching with their chin held high as they welcome Idaho to Beaver Stadium. None of this is biased, not even a bit. (Yes, this whole section is biased, but let me have my fun.) In all seriousness, I’m watching to see if Sean Clifford and this inexperienced offense can keep up the pace and continue to build chemistry. Do I expect them to drop an 80 piece on Buffalo? Absolutely not, but I’d still like to see the offense put up a lot of points against a MAC opponent, and I’d definitely like to see more cracking hits from the defense. There is no reason they shouldn’t be able to provide these at Beaver Stadium this weekend.
My pick: Penn State, 179-3

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Article by: Justin Imler 

Green Bay Packers @ Chicago Bears (TNF)
 
The 2019-2020 NFL season kicks off with an amazing matchup. We get to watch another installment of one of the best and oldest rivalries in the league as the Aaron Rodgers and the Packers head into Chicago to take on the Bears. I have high expectations for both of these franchises heading into the season. Green Bay is coming off a disappointing 2018, but have made several adjustments in the offseason, most notably hiring new head coach Matt LaFleur, and beefing up their below average defense throughout the draft. As long as Mr. Rodgers stays heathy, I expect significant improvements for this Green Bay team. However, I still have them taking the L Thursday, and here’s why.
 
“Da Bears” just had one of the most dominant defensive seasons that we’ve seen in decades, and who’s to stop them from repeating that again this season? The Bears are coming off of an NFC South title, and don’t plan on giving that title up this year. QB Mitchell Trubisky is starting to come into his own and needs to take another step this year if they want to be a legitimate Super Bowl contender come January. With that being said, behind that ridiculous defense, and rookie RB David Montgomery (remember that name), this team will be dangerous, which is why I have them taking this matchup at home Thursday night.
 
Official Prediction: Bears: 24 Packers: 20
 
Pittsburgh Steelers @ New England Patriots (SNF)
 
Ohhhhh baby, here we go. As a Steelers fan, I cannot wait for this matchup Sunday night. The Pittsburgh and New England rivalry has been a great one for all NFL fans in recent years, with the Pats getting the best of the Black and Gold more times than not. However, and I’ve been preaching this for months, do not sleep on this Pittsburgh team in 2019. The Steelers did beat New England in week 15 last season 17-10, which is what gives me a lot of confidence heading into Sunday night. Pittsburgh’s defense has improved a lot over the offseason with the additions of CB Steven Nelson (signed in FA), and LB Devin Bush (drafted 10th overall out of Michigan). Their offense will be just fine with Big Ben Roethlisberger throwing the rock to his staff of young playmakers like WR Juju-Smith Schuster, Donte Moncrief (signed in FA), TE Vance McDonald, and RB James Connor.
 
Now for defending Super Bowl champs, the Patriots are back, and don’t think for a second that this is finally the year that they’ll take a step back, because it’s not. Brady is 42 years old and is somehow still in his prime. Yes, future Hall of Famer TE Rob Gronkowski has retired, but don’t be surprised if he comes back in full pads by Week 9. New England still has some talented playmakers, and they’re the prime example of the “next man up” mentality. They have a system, and it’s clearly working. This will be the first time that two franchises are facing off with six Super Bowls to their names, and both of these teams are primed and ready to be all alone at the top with seven when this season is all said and done.
 
Official Prediction: New England 28 Pittsburgh: 24
 
Houston Texans @ New Orleans Saints (MNF Pt. 1)
 
To wrap up Week 1 of the NFL season we get a double header, starting off with the Texans and Saints. These two teams were both playoff teams last season, and I’m pretty sure everyone expects them to be back this year as well. The Texans have already taken some big hits, with losing starting RB Lamar Miller to a torn ACL, and trading star DE Jadeveon Clowney to Seattle. However, with the recent retirement of QB Andrew Luck, I expect the Texans to run away with the AFC South, but will most likely have to wait until Week 2 to get onto a winning streak.
 
The Saints are just on another level. They’re absolutely stacked on both sides of the ball and playing in the Superdome is one of the best home field advantages in all of football. I like the Texans this season, but not in this matchup. Expect the Saints to dominate Monday night, and for the rest of the 2019 season.
 
Official Prediction: New Orleans: 34 Houston: 24
 
Denver Broncos @ Oakland Raiders (MNF Pt. 2)
 
Part two of Monday Night Football isn’t nearly as flashy as part one. These two teams are out to prove themselves in 2019, so I’m still excited to see what they bring to the table. The Raiders are obviously going to be the fan’s main focus, just to see how HC John Gruden has gotten this team to gel in his 2nd season. They have a lot of new additions this time around, most notably star WR Antonio Brown and rookie RB Josh Jacobs out of Alabama.
 
Denver on the other hand has made some changes of their own, which started by hiring former Bears defensive coordinator Vic Fangio as their new head coach. Denver also moved on from QB Case Keenum and traded for former Ravens QB Joe Flacco, who will be running the offense for at least the next several seasons. I’m personally not much of a believer in Flacco, but he’s been a guy who can still win football games behind a stellar defense, which Denver most certainly has. I think this game will easily be the lowest scoring of the four primetime games this week, with Denver pulling it out in the end.
 
Official Prediction: Denver: 20 Raiders: 17
 
Be sure to be on the lookout for the next Heated Sports Football Podcast episode that drops tomorrow night (Wednesday 9/4) where Kevin and I dive more into these matchups, as well as our full 2019-2020 season predictions!

To keep up with everything sports, be sure to keep it here at Heated Sports!

Article by: Zach Henley

After throwing his third career no-hitter, should Justin Verlander be considered an all-time great?
           
Verlander has been nothing but phenomenal in his 14-year career and playing for only two teams. In his tenure with the Detroit Tigers, he helped them win four consecutive AL Central championships and leading them to the world series in ‘06 and ‘12. Verlander has had success throughout his whole career which includes a list of accomplishments. For example, in 2011, Verlander had the best seasons of his career. He won the AL MVP award along with the pitching Triple Crown and Cy Young award. He led the league in wins, strikeouts and ERA, threw a no-hitter against the Toronto Blue Jays and led the Tigers to the playoffs as well. In one of the best seasons recorded by a pitcher, he unfortunately couldn’t do it all as the Tigers would be eliminated in the playoffs.
           
After 12 years with the Tigers, Verlander landed with the Houston Astros. Primarily with pitchers getting older, they typically slow down, but not Verlander. In his first season with the Astros, he helped them win the organization’s first World Series and captured the ALCS MVP award as well. The championship title is just another notch for the very successful pitcher. The following year, he would be named to the All-Star game and led the AL in strikeouts for the 5th time in his career. In 2019, nothing has changed. He is currently sporting a 17-5 record, leads the MLB in strikeouts, and just threw his 3rd career no hitter.
           
In my opinion, with all these stats and awards to his name, Verlander should be a first ballot hall of famer and considered an all-time great. No matter what team he’s with, he wins every time he steps on the mound, and the team backs him up and wins as well. That is what an all-time great is supposed to do.

To keep up with all things sports, be sure to keep it here at Heated Sports!

Article by: Pete Caceci

After spending four years with the Buffalo Bills, RB LeSean McCoy has accepted a one-year $4 million deal with the Kansas City Chiefs.  The deal went down yesterday and was reported by ESPN not long afterwards.  He will reunite with his previous coach Andy Reid.
           
The Bills released the 31-year-old veteran during the 2019 preseason, so it was only a matter of time before he would get picked up.  Ever since the Chiefs moved on from Kareem Hunt, questions began to rise within the organization on who would take the starting position.  LeSean McCoy going to the Chiefs is a great move for him, as he will be under an experienced coach and amazing QB Patrick Mahomes.  He will also be able to mentor the younger backs with different routes and movements.  It all depends though on where he will fit in their offensive schemes with other backs like Damien Williams, Tremon Smith, and Darrel Williams.
           
After being traded from the Eagles in the 2015 offseason, McCoy would take on the starting RB role and would be a star for the Bills.  Although his numbers for both yards and touchdowns decreased with his new team, it did not take long for McCoy to readjust.  For the 2016 season, LeSean would rush for 1,267 yards and scored 13 touchdowns, leading the NFL in rushing yards.  In 2017, McCoy would continue to stack up wild statistics, such as rushing over 1,100 yards and scoring 9 touchdowns.  He would make the Pro-Bowl for consecutive years and be ranked high in the NFL Top 100 Players by his peers.

From here, LeSean’s career began to go downhill, as in the summer of 2018 he would be caught in a domestic abuse scandal that would follow for the rest of the year.  On top of that, McCoy would struggle immensely with the new Bills offense.  His totals would all be career-lows, rushing only 514 yards, scoring just 3 touchdowns, and averaging 3.2 yards per carry.  As much as the Bills’ GM Brandon Beane remained confident with McCoy, his time in Buffalo was coming to an end.

Since hearing about the move, I am confident that LeSean will redeem himself for the upcoming season.  Like I mentioned before, he is in a great organization with the right tools that he can use to his advantage.  The Chiefs have done a terrific job in rebuilding themselves to a potential dynasty.  As an Eagles fan, I am scared as to the skill and talent that this team possesses, and with LeSean McCoy among the roster, who knows how far they will go what they may be able to accomplish.

To keep up with everything sports, be sure to keep it here at Heated Sports!