2022 MLB Preview: American League Preview
There is a stark difference between the American League East and the other two divisions in the AL. Four of the teams in the AL East are serious pennant contenders, while only one or two teams are expected to be competitive out of both the AL Central and AL West. The unbalanced schedule will lead to one of those strong AL East teams missing out on the postseason, but two of the three wild cards in the expanded playoffs are expected to come from this division. Top Teams Toronto Blue Jays Although Toronto missed out on the playoffs last year with a 91-71 record, many observers are expecting the Blue Jays to be the best team in the league in 2022. This team is extremely talented and getting better every year with so many young players. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is one of the best young hitters in the game and adding Matt Chapman helps this team’s defense too. The outfield has a ton of talent led by center fielder George Springer, and the pitching staff is much better with the addition of Jose Berrios, Kevin Gausman, and Yusei Kikuchi. Houston Astros Carlos Correa left for Minnesota earlier this month, but Houston still has a lot of talent and should win the AL West for the fifth straight regular length season. The Astros showed that the scandal didn’t affect them too much last year, and this is probably the second-most dangerous lineup in the AL behind Toronto. Yuli Gurriel led the AL in batting average, and Jose Altuve and Alex Bregman round out a great infield. Kyle Tucker has come into his own in the outfield, while Michael Brantley is one of the best contact hitters in baseball. There are concerns about the pitching staff though as Lance McCullers Jr. is injured and Justin Verlander is a big question mark after missing all of 2021 following Tommy John surgery. New York Yankees The Bronx Bombers have six players that could hit 30 or more home runs this season. New York re-signed slugger Anthony Rizzo, and D.J. LeMahieu should fare better at the plate after a bizarre 2021 campaign. Newly acquired Josh Donaldson still has some pop in his bat, and Joey Gallo, Aaron Judge, and Giancarlo Stanton are three of the most dangerous sluggers in the majors. The Yankees must be able to get on base though, and they need another pitcher to emerge outside of ace Gerrit Cole if they want to win their first World Series in 13 years. Chicago White Sox This is arguably the most intriguing team in the league. Chicago is in the weakest division in the AL, and the White Sox could conceivably win 100 games or more this season. They dealt with a lot of injuries in 2021, but they still managed to claim the AL Central title and win 93 games. Luis Robert is one of the most promising young talents in the league, and there are solid hitters throughout the lineup. This pitching staff is very underrated too, and the bullpen is one of the best in the AL. Tampa Bay Rays We have seen Tampa Bay turn over a new leaf this offseason. The Rays spent money on budding superstar Wander Franco, and they tried to acquire Freddie Freeman too. This franchise has long been known for its ability to get the most out of a miniscule payroll, but it sounds like the ownership is ready to loosen up the purse strings a little bit. They have won the AL East in back-to-back seasons and can’t be discounted despite the lack of house
2022 MLB Preview: National League
The National League race figures to be very interesting this year. Two divisions are loaded with talented teams as the NL West and NL East both saw a lot of high-priced acquisitions join new teams. However, the NL Central figures to be the worst division in baseball as Chicago, Cincinnati, and Pittsburgh are all in the middle of huge rebuilds. That gives the Milwaukee Brewers the clearest path to the postseason, but can the Brewers win the pennant for the first time in 40 years? Top Teams Los Angeles Dodgers The last decade has seen the Los Angeles Dodgers finally fulfill their fans’ dreams as they have become the West Coast version of the New York Yankees. Los Angeles won eight straight NL West titles prior to last season, but the Dodgers won 106 games and were considered the team to beat entering the playoffs. They fell to the Atlanta Braves in last year’s NLCS, yet they figure to be even better in 2022. Jeff Passan stated that this lineup is the best he has seen in his 20+ years covering baseball. Freddie Freeman was added as another power hitter that can help spell Max Muncy at first base, and Trea Turner and Mookie Betts are extremely dangerous at the top of the order. This rotation has the potential to be very good too as Walker Buehler, Clayton Kershaw, and Julio Urias are all former or current aces. It’s going to be very tough to take down the Dodgers this season. New York Mets Steve Cohen certainly didn’t lie about his intention to turn the New York Mets into a contender. We have seen other owners make similar promises (See: Bob Castellini), but Cohen has actually put his money wear his mouth is with the Mets. This rotation has the potential to be the best in baseball with the addition of Max Scherzer, as Jacob deGrom is the most talented pitcher in the game. Chris Bassitt would be a No. 1 or No. 2 arm on virtually every other team, and that makes the Mets a potential postseason nightmare. Atlanta Braves The defending World Series champions no longer have Freddie Freeman, Joc Pederson, or World Series MVP Jorge Soler on the roster. However, the Atlanta Braves are still in a position to contend with a solid rotation and the return of Ronald Acuna Jr. Atlanta was able to replace Freeman with Matt Olson, and they still have Ozzie Albies signed to the most team-friendly long-term deal in baseball. Adam Duvall could have another big year too, San Diego Padres San Diego started strong but fell apart at the tail end of last season. The Padres have a ton of potential, but they need to stay injury free and have their high-priced talent live up to the billing. They made a huge splash when they acquired former Cy Young winners Yu Darvish and Blake Snell prior to last season, yet neither pitcher performed well in 2021. Fernando Tatis Jr. will miss up to three months with a fractured wrist too, depriving the Padres of their best hitter. Milwaukee Brewers The big question for Milwaukee is whether or not this offense can finally get going. Willy Adames turned out to be a huge boon after he was acquired in the middle of last season, but Christian Yelich had the worst season of his career. Lorenzo Cain also posted dismal numbers, so the Brew Crew is hoping those two players can bounce back. The rotation is fantastic once again as Corbin Burnes, Brandon Woodruff, and Freddy Peralta were three of the best pitchers in the NL in 2021. San Francisco Giants No team was a bigger surprise than the San Francisco Giants in 2021. San Francisco was pegged to finish in third place in the NL West, but the Giants ended up winning a franchise record 107 games. The Giants are bringing back most of their talent from last year save for Kevin Gausman and Buster Posey, yet they could have just caught lightning in a bottle and might be a middling team this season.
Early Look At The 2022 World Cup
There are eight months to go until we have the first winter World Cup in history. Almost half of the 32 spots for the 2022 World Cup have been claimed, and past winners like Brazil, Germany, France, Spain, England, and Argentina will be heading to Qatar this November. Those six teams are considered the six teams to beat this year, and there is a strong chance that one of those half dozen countries will be celebrating just before Christmas. The 2022 World Cup will be held in Qatar from November 21 to December 18. Four of the stadiums are in the capital of Doha, while the other four stadiums aren’t that far from the city, making travel a non-issue. Top Teams That Have Already Qualified It’s been 20 years since Brazil last won the World Cup, but they always have to be among the favorites. They have made it to at least the quarterfinals of every World Cup since 1990. Brazil boasts one of the best players in the world in Neymar, a great second striker in Richarlison, playmaking midfielders in Philippe Coutinho, Casemiro, and Lucas Paqueta, a veteran backline with Dani Alves, Thiago Silva, and Marquinhos, and two elite goalkeepers in Alisson and Ederson. Brazil has yet to drop a match in COMNEBOL qualifying, posting a 12-3-0 record. Argentina is also unbeaten in COMNEBOL qualifying to date. Lionel Messi is still at the helm of this team, but he is starting to show his age. It may be time for players like Lautaro Martinez and Paulo Dybala to take their games to the next level as Angel Di Maria is also getting long in the tooth. There are major concerns in the back line and in net though. France is the defending World Cup champion. Les Bleus had an ultimate collapse against Switzerland at Euro 2020, but this is probably the most talented team in the world. Kylian Mbappe, Antoine Griezmann, and Karim Benzema are the best trio of attackers that any country can claim, and Paul Pogba and N’Golo Kante are an excellent tandem in the midfield. This back line has a nice mix of experience and youth, and they are probably the team to back in Qatar. There is a lot of reason to like Germany too. Germany is tied with Italy as the second-most successful team in World Cup history behind Brazil. Thomas Muller, Serge Gnabry, Leroy Sane, and Timo Werner are all extremely talented, and captain Manuel Neuer is still one of the top goalkeepers in the world. This is a young, playmaking midfield and Germany romped throughout UEFA qualifying. Other Top Teams That Have Yet to Qualify Incredibly, either Italy or Portugal won’t qualify for the World Cup. Both teams finished in second place in their groups during UEFA qualifying, and if the Azzurri miss out on the World Cup it will be the second straight time. Italy is extremely offensively challenged as they only scored 13 goals in eight games during European qualifying, and seven of those goals came in two matches against Lithuania. Colombia has made it to the knockout rounds in two straight World Cups, but Los Cafeteros may not qualify for Qatar. They are currently in seventh place in COMNEBOL, and only the top five teams can make the World Cup. They have very winnable matches against Bolivia and Venezuela at the end of March, but they have to win those games and hope that Peru and Chile both stumble.
2022 Masters Tournament Preview
The first golf major of the year will take place next month. The best golfers in the world will descend on Augusta National Golf Club to take part in the Masters. Hideki Matsuyama is the defending champion, but he will find it hard to win his second consecutive Masters title. There hasn’t been a repeat winner at Augusta since Tiger Woods won back-to-back Masters in 2001 and 2002. The 2022 Masters Tournament will take place at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia from April 7-10. Traditional television viewers will be able to watch the Masters from 1 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. ET on ESPN on Thursday and Friday, while the weekend rounds will be aired on CBS from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. ET on Saturday and from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. ET on Sunday. A lot of the coverage will be on ESPN+ too. Jon Rahm is the Player to Beat at the 2022 Masters The No. 1 ranked golfer in the world has yet to win an event this year. Jon Rahm has been the top pick in every tournament he has entered this season, but he has been unable to break through with a win to this point. Rahm finished runner-up at the Sentry Tournament of Champions in January and earned a T3 finish at the Farmers Insurance Open at the end of January too, yet his best finish since that point was a T10 at the Waste Management Phoenix Open. It’s not hard to talk yourself into Rahm winning the Masters though, as his last four finishes have been T4, T9, T7, and T5. Does Hideki Matsuyama Have Any Chance of Repeating? We saw Hideki Matsuyama break through and win his first major at Augusta National last April. Matsuyama had back-to-back T7 finishes in 2015 and 2016, but his best result since that point prior to last year’s victory was a T11. The first Japanese golfer to win a major on the PGA Tour has been boom or bust this season. Matsuyama won the Sony Open and ZOZO Championship, and he finished T8 at both the Fortinet Championship and Waste Management Phoenix Open. However, he also has finishes of T30 or worse in four tournaments. Matsuyama doesn’t have a ton of power, but he hits a lot of greens. His mid-game is elite, and that will always give him a chance on this course. Who are the Other Golfers to Watch at Augusta National? Collin Morikawa is the best young talent in golf. The 25-year-old won the 2020 PGA Championship and the 2021 British Open, but he has not fared well at the Masters in his two prior appearances here. Morikawa finished T44 in 2020 and T18 last year. There is some hype surrounding Rory McIlroy again following his recent performances. McIlroy won The CJ Cup, and he finished T10 at The Genesis Invitational. McIlroy got off to a strong start at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, but he has never won the Masters. He has won the other three majors, yet his best finish here was a T4 in 2015. Brooks Koepka has been lights out at majors over the course of his career. He has won the US Open twice and the PGA Championship twice, and he has a total of 16 T10 finishes since 2014. Koepka may have missed the cut at last year’s Masters, but he finished T2 in 2019 and T7 in 2020 and must be respected.
UFC 272 Preview: Can Masvidal Stop Covington?
The exciting Jorge Masvidal will enter the Octagon once again at UFC 272. Masvidal will take on Colby Covington in the main event, and there’s a good chance this fight doesn’t go the distance. Only one of Masvidal’s last five fights have been decided by the judges, and two of Covington’s last three fights have been decided by knockout. There are some good down card matches too including the co-main event between Rafael dos Anjos and Rafael Fiziev, and Greg Hardy will also be part of the main card. UFC 272 will take place on Saturday, March 5, 2022, at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. The prelims will kick off at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN and ESPN+, and the main event will get started at 10 p.m. ET through PPV on ESPN+. Colby Covington vs. Jorge Masvidal These are two of the top welterweights in the division. Colby Covington is currently rated the No. 1 contender, but it will probably be a while before he gets another title shot. Covington has challenged Kamaru Usman for the UFC Welterweight Championship twice in the last 27 months, and he has come up short both times. However, he has won all eight of his last ten fights aside from those two losses to the current champion. Jorge Masvidal has also lost to Kamaru Usman twice. Masvidal challenged Usman for the title at UFC 251 and UFC 261, and he lost both fights. He has impressive wins over Nate Diaz, Darren Till, and Donald Cerrone, and his knockout of Ben Askren in five seconds is a UFC record. However, he is 37 and has 15 losses in his career, so Covington has to like his chances. Rafael dos Anjos vs. Rafael Fiziev Former UFC Lightweight Championship title holder Rafael dos Anjos was not great as a welterweight. He won his first three fights at the class, setting up a title fight with Covington. However, he lost that fight and has lost four of his last six bouts. Dos Anjos returned to lightweight in November to fight Paul Felder, but he was only able to manage a split decision victory upon his return. There is a lot of potential for Rafael Fiziev to be the next star of the lightweight division. He lost his UFC debut, but he has since won five straight fights and earned either a Performance of the Night or Fight of the Night bonus in his last four tilts. Fiziev is 11-1 with seven knockouts in his MMA career. Sergey Spivak vs. Greg Hardy We heard plenty of hype surrounding Greg Hardy’s move to the UFC, but the former NFL defensive lineman has not lived up to those expectations. Hardy has lost three of his last five fights, and he was knocked out by Marcin Tybura and Tai Tuivasa the last two times he entered the Octagon. This is a big prove it fight for Hardy, as this is his final fight under his current contract with UFC. Originally, Hardy was supposed to take on Aleksei Oleinik, but Oleinik backed out of the fight in January. Sergey Spivak stepped in to replace Oleinik, and this will be a tougher opponent since Spivak has defeated both Oleinik and Tuivasa in the last three years.
UFC 271 Preview: Can Adesanya Keep His Belt?
This is the first big sports weekend of the year in 2022. The day before Super Bowl Sunday, we will have some of the top talents in the UFC squaring off in the Octagon for UFC 271. The title fight between Israel Adesanya and Robert Whittaker is the main event for this card, and former heavyweight title challenger Derrick Lewis will face up-and-comer Tai Tuivasa in the co-main event. Top middleweights Jared Cannonier and Derek Brunson Israel Adesanya vs. Robert Whittaker UFC Middleweight Champion Israel Adesanya unified the division with his second-round knockout over Robert Whittaker at UFC 243 in October 2019. Adesanya is 20-1 over the course of his career, and his lone loss was by unanimous decision when he moved up to light heavyweight to challenge Jan Blachowicz for the UFC title last year at UFC 259. The Last Stylebender has successfully defended his belt three times since his first win over Whittaker with wins over Yoel Romero, Paulo Costa, and Marvin Vettori. Whittaker has been yearning for this rematch since he was knocked out by Adesanya two-and-a-half years ago. He had won nine straight bouts before his loss to Adesanya, and he has won three straight fights since that defeat. However, Whittaker doesn’t have a lot of finishing power. His last five victories have all come by decision, and he only defeated Yoel Romero the second time by split decision. Derrick Lewis vs. Tai Tuivasa There are usually fireworks whenever Derrick Lewis enters the ring. Lewis recently turned 37 years old, and he would love to celebrate his birthday with another victory. He is 26-8 in his professional MMA career, and he holds the UFC record for most knockouts. Lewis has 21 knockouts overall in his career with 13 of those KOs coming in the UFC. Tai Tuivasa has won four straight fights coming into this showdown. Tuivasa had lost three straight fights in a 10-month span from late 2018 to October 2019, but he has been able to use his impressive power to knock out his last four opponents coming into this fight. In his career, Tuivasa has knocked out his opponent in 12 of his 13 wins, and 11 of those knockouts came in the first round. That means his showdown with Lewis is unlikely to last more than a round or two. Jared Cannonier vs. Derek Brunson Before coming to the UFC, Jared Cannonier was 7-0. He was dominating opponents in Alaska, but he has been up and down since taking a big step up in competition. Cannonier is 9-5 in the UFC, yet he has started to figure some things out. He has won four of his last five fights with impressive wins over names like Anderson Silva, Jack Hermansson, and Kelvin Gastelum. The great Derek Brunson has headlined his last three events. Brunson has won five straight fights coming into this showdown with Jared Cannonier, and his last defeat came at the hands of Israel Adesanya. This is a step up in competition for him though, as Cannonier is ranked ahead of him in the current UFC rankings.
Super Bowl LVI Preview
The most anticipated sporting event in the United States is finally upon us. The Super Bowl is easily the most watched television program in America annually, and over 100 million domestic viewers are expected to tune in for Super Bowl LVI between the Los Angeles Rams and Cincinnati Bengals. Neither team was expected to get here as both teams were the division winners with the worst records in their respective conferences, but either the Rams or the Bengals will prove the naysayers wrong by lifting the Lombardi Trophy. History in the Super Bowl This is Cincinnati’s third trip to the Super Bowl. The Bengals are happy that they won’t be seeing the San Francisco 49ers, as they lost to the Niners twice in the 1980s. They fell to San Francisco 26-21 in Super Bowl XVI, and Joe Montana etched his name in Super Bowl lore with a 92-yard touchdown drive to beat Cincinnati 20-16 in Super Bowl XXIII. The Rams have gone to two Super Bowls while in Los Angeles and two Super Bowls while in St. Louis. They have yet to win a title in LA though, as they lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers 31-19 in Super Bowl XIV and couldn’t move the ball effectively against the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LIII resulting in a 13-3 defeat. Their lone Super Bowl victory came against the Tennessee Titans in Super Bowl XXXIV. When the Rams Have the Ball Cooper Kupp was the best receiver in the NFL this season. Kupp led the league in receptions, receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns, and he came up big for the Rams in their win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the Divisional Round. Opposing defenses have had a hard time shutting him down too as Odell Beckham Jr. is one of the best secondary receivers in the league and did a great job replacing an injured Robert Woods, while Van Jefferson can take the top off a defense with his speed. Matt Stafford has been an upgrade from Jared Goff, but he has had some iffy performances this season. Stafford was great in the win over the Buccaneers, yet he looked mediocre in the win over San Francisco in the NFC Championship Game. The run game has been unable to help him much as the Rams are averaging just 2.9 YPC in their three playoff games. Cincinnati has a decent defense, but the Bengals aren’t anything special on this side of the ball. Trey Hendrickson was a Pro Bowl pick, yet this defense ranked 20th in total defense and 24th in run defense. The Bengals have survived with smoke and mirrors and by playing two flawed offenses in Las Vegas and Tennessee. When the Bengals Have the Ball It’s been an incredible ride for Joe Burrow. The second-year quarterback has been great in leading the Bengals to their best season in over 30 years. Burrow’s rookie season was ended early because of injury, yet he showed no signs that he was still bothered by the injury by coming up clutch time and time again. He dwarfed every other quarterback in touchdown passes of 30 yards or more in this big play offense. Burrow has been unstoppable at times with LSU teammate Ja’Marr Chase by his side. Chase will be named NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year barring something wild, and he ranked fourth in receiving yards, third in receiving touchdowns, and second in YPR as a rookie. Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd have been solid alongside Chase, while Joe Mixon might be the most underrated running back in the NFL. The big question coming into this game though is the play of Cincinnati’s offensive line. Burrow has been sacked over three times a game since entering the league, and Tennessee sacked him nine times in the Divisional Round. Aaron Donald is the best defensive lineman we have seen since the great Reggie White, and he makes things easier for Leonard Floyd and Von Miller. The Rams are one of the few teams with a player that can potentially take Chase out of the game too as Jalen Ramsey is arguably the best cornerback in the NFL. Prediction Aside from Burrow and rookie kicker Evan McPherson, it’s hard to find a place where Cincinnati has a real edge over LA. The Rams have a much better defense, and they can harass Burrow throughout the game like we saw Tampa Bay do to Patrick Mahomes last week. Everyone is calling for a close game it seems, but this has the potential to be a Rams blowout.
2022 NFL MOCK DRAFT
As the 2021-22 season ends, preparations are under way to officially begin the 2022-23 campaign. While it might start with free agency, the big event to kick off the year is the annual NFL Draft. It begins Thursday night, April 28 at 8 p.m. EST with the first round. Rounds two and three happen Friday, April 29 at 7 p.m. and wrap up Saturday with rounds four through seven starting at noon. JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS — Kayvon Thibodeaux, sophomore, Edge, Oregon (6-5, 250 pounds, 2021: 49 tackles, 12 for a loss, seven sacks, one pass defended, two forced fumbles) Kayvon Thibodeaux and Aidan Hutchinson will go Nos. 1 and 2. It’s just the order that’s up for debate as the Jaguars and Lions kick the tires at the NFL Combine and the their respective pro days on the two best edge rushers coming out this season. The Jags need everything, but when you’ve got the top pick, you have to take a top player. DETROIT LIONS — Aidan Hutchinson, Edge, Senior, Michigan (6-6, 265, 2021: 62 tackles, 16.5 for a loss, 14 sacks, three passes defended, one fumble recovery, two forced fumbles) The Lions would probably prefer Hutchinson here and take him even if they had the No. 1 pick. He’s a local guy, from Michigan and played at the University of Michigan. He looks like a Dan Campbell type player and should have an immediate impact on defense. HOUSTON TEXANS — Tyler Linderbaum, Offensive Line, Junior, Iowa (6-2, 270 pounds, PFF Grade: 95.3) Like the other teams atop the draft, Houston needs some of everything. Regardless of what they do at quarterback, they need to build up their offensive line and Linderbaum fits the bill. NEW YORK JETS — Derek Stingley, Jr, Cornerback, Junior, LSU (6-1, 195 pounds, 2021: 8 tackles, 3.5 for a loss, one forced fumble) The Jets opened last year’s draft taking an offensive player. Now it’s time for Robert Saleh to start to put together the kind of defense he was known for in San Francisco. NEW YORK GIANTS — George Karlaftis, Edge, Junior, Purdue (6-4, 275 pounds, 2021: 39 tackles, 10 for a loss, 4.5 sacks, four passes defended, two fumbles recovered, one defensive touchdown, two forced fumbles) The Giants have multiple first round picks and multiple holes to fill. At five, they start with the defense, adding a pass rusher to one of the worst units in the league. CAROLINA PANTHERS — Evan Neal, Offensive Line, Junior, Alabama (6-7, 360 pounds, PFF Grade: 85.8) There’s a solid chance the Panthers could reach for a quarterback here. If they do think seriously about a signal caller, they should trade down. As it is, they should sit pat and let the draft come to them. In this case, put together an offensive line for that quarterback they might select later. NEW YORK GIANTS (from Bears) — Ikem Ekwonu, Offensive Line, Junior, NC State (6-4, 320 pounds, PFF Grade: 91.6) After working on the defensive side of the trenches with their first pick, the Giants go on offense with their second. ATLANTA FALCONS — Garrett Wilson, Wide Receiver, Junior, Ohio State (6-0, 192 pounds, 2021: 70 catches, 1,058 yards, 12 touchdowns, 76 rushing yards, one rushing touchdown) While there are no draft day and pick trades factored into this draft, this pick is based on the Falcons attempting to move Calvin Ridley in the offseason. Even if they don’t (and they shouldn’t), they need another wide receiver after trading Julio Jones. DENVER BRONCOS — Nakobe Dean, Linebacker, Junior, Georgia (6-0, 225 pounds, 2021: 72 tackles, 10.5 for a loss, six sacks, two interceptions, one defensive touchdown, five passes defended, two forced fumbles) Again, not factoring in trades allows the Broncos to build back their defense. There’s every chance that this pick will be packaged together with others for Aaron Rodgers or Russell Wilson. NEW YORK JETS (from Seahawks) — Charles Cross, Offensive Line, Sophomore, Michigan State (6-5, 310 pounds, PFF Grade: 86.7) Thanks to trading away Jamal Adams back in 2020, the Jets too have multiple first rounders in the Top 10. They need to keep Zach Wilson upright, so after taking defense early, it’s time to protect the young quarterback. WASHINGTON COMMANDERS — Kenyon Green, Offensive Line, Junior, Texas A&M (6-4, 325 pounds, PFF Grade: 79.8) The newly minted Commanders add their first ensign in this draft. Like the Broncos, Washington could be very involved in the offseason QB trade market and might not hold this selection by Draft Day. MINNESOTA VIKINGS — Ahmad Gardner, Cornerback, Junior, Cincinnati (6-2, 188 pounds, 2021: 40 tackles, five for a loss, three sacks, three interceptions, four passes defended) New head coach Kevin O’Connell already has a solid offense to command. It’s the defense that needs help, so Gardner gets added to the defensive backfield here at 12. CLEVELAND BROWNS — Jameson Williams, Wide Receiver, Junior, Alabama (6-2, 189 pounds, 2021: 79 catches, 1,572 yards, 15 touchdowns, 23 rushing yards) Regardless of what the Browns decide to do with Baker Mayfield, they need receiver help after jettisoning Odell Beckham Jr. midseason. So Williams, who probably won’t be ready until halfway through 2022-23, is the pick. BALTIMORE RAVENS — Devin Lloyd, Linebacker, Junior, Utah (6-3, 235 pounds, 2021: 111 tackles, 22 for a loss, seven sacks, four interceptions, two defensive touchdowns, six passes defended, one fumble recovery, one forced fumble) A new defensive coordinator probably needs a fresh batch of defensive players. The Ravens have a knack at finding linebackers and Lloyd could fit right into that historic legacy. PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (from Dolphins) — Kyle Hamilton, Safety, Junior, Notre Dame (6-4, 220 pounds, 2021: 34 tackles, two for a loss, three interceptions, four passes defended) To a lot of draft experts, Hamilton is the top ranked player in this draft. His position, like running back, is undervalued so he drops to 15 to make an immediate impact on the Eagles’ defense. PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (from Colts) — Andrew Booth, Jr., Cornerback,
2022 Winter Olympics Preview: Will USA Win The Most Medals?
Everyone is gearing up for the 2022 Winter Olympics. Beijing put on a show ahead of the 2008 Summer Olympics, and there’s no doubt that they will host a grand celebration to welcome thousands of athletes from dozens of countries. There may be diplomatic boycotts, but all the athletes have shown up and will go for gold over 17 days. The 2022 Winter Olympics will be held in Beijing, China from February 4, 2022, to February 20, 2022. There will be 109 events in 15 disciplines, and everything will be broadcast on the NBC family of networks in the United States. Here are five of the biggest questions/storylines ahead of the Winter Olympics. Can Norway Again Lead the Medal Count? Norway has been the most successful country at the Winter Olympics. Their 132 gold medals are the most of any country, and the only other country with more than 100 gold medals is the United States. Norway tied with Germany for the gold medal lead at the 2018 Winter Olympics in South Korea, but their 39 total medals were eight more than Germany and 10 more than third-place Canada. The Norwegians have finished with the most gold medals and most overall medals at seven Winter Olympics. How Successful Will China be as the Host? Host countries have a history of outperforming their expectations at the Olympics. We saw South Korea surprise with five gold medals and 17 medals four years ago, and China would love to make a similar splash. They only won one gold medal at the 2018 Winter Olympics, and they have just 13 gold medals in their history. China has a few medal hopefuls in freestyle skiing and short-track speedskating. Will Shaun White Win Another Gold Medal? Shaun White might be the most well-known American at the Winter Olympics. The legendary snowboarder has won three gold medals in half-pipe snowboarding since it was added to the Olympic rotation, but he has taken a major step back since Pyeongchang. White has not taken part in many competitions, and he is expected to call it quits at the conclusion of this event. Who Will Win the Gold Medal in Women’s Hockey? This year’s Men’s Hockey Tournament will be a muted affair without NHL players. However, the Women’s Hockey Tournament figures to be extremely exciting with the United States and Canada seemingly set to square off for a gold medal once more. The United States claimed the first women’s hockey gold medal in 1998, but Canada won the next four and forced the US to settle for silver in three of those Olympics. The Americans finally got the upper hand on the Canadians once again in South Korea with a 3-2 win in overtime to claim gold. Can Mikaela Shiffrin Win Multiple Gold Medals in Beijing? Mikaela Shiffrin has two Olympic gold medals and six World Championships gold medals in her storied career. She has thrived in the slalom and the giant slalom, but she is looking to break through in a big way at the 2022 Winter Olympics. Shiffrin is still just 26 years old and became the youngest skier to win 50 World Cup races just three years ago.