Calipari seals lifetime deal to finish career at UK

The NCAA tournament set up nearly perfectly for NBA draft evaluation, as a huge number of first-round prospects advanced to the Sweet 16. This set the stage for a series of high-profile games in which players faced arguably the highest level of competition in their careers with huge stakes.nfl jerseys cheap jerseys

Considering the small sample size of the college season –china nfl jerseys cheap  and how infrequently scouts get to watch elite prospects matching up against players with NBA-caliber length and athleticism — it seems foolish to cover your eyes and throw tournament performances out the window (like some suggest because of past overreactions).

Kentucky has agreed to a contract extension with head coach John Calipari that will see him finish out his career with the Wildcats, a school official told ESPN. The deal would be a combination of a head-coaching extension and a paid role as an ambassador after his retirement.i

“We can confirm that the University of Kentucky has agreed to terms on a long-term contract with Coach Calipari to finish his career at Kentucky,” a school spokesperson said.

Calipari also confirmed the news on his radio show.

“It has nothing to do with the other stuff … people call every year,” he said. “They presented it to me and I appreciate it.”

“Where else would I want to coach?” he added.
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Calipari, whose current contract at Kentucky runs through 2024, is the highest-paid basketball coach in the country, with total compensation of $9.2 million this year, according to the USA Today Sports database. He also receives a reported retention bonus of $2.6 million in each of the next three Julys.

Kentucky went 30-7 this season, earning a 2-seed in the NCAA tournament and advancing to the Elite Eight before losing to Auburn 77-71 on Sunday.nfl nike jersey

Calipari has been to four Final Fours with Kentucky,nfl jerseys nike  in 2011, 2012, 2014 and 2015, winning the national where can i get nfl jerseys cheap hampionship in 2012. The loss to Auburn marked the third season in a row the Wildcats have advanced to the second weekend of the NCAA tournament but fallen short of the Final Four.

Calipari, 60, has a 305-71 record at Kentucky and official lifetime record of 708-209. He has led his teams to the NCAA tournament 20 times in 27 seasons, with four official Final Fours and one title.authentic nfl jersey cheap

Calipari has twice taken teams to the Final Four only to have the wins vacated by the NCAA. His 2007-08 Memphis team, which lost to Kansas in the title game, was forced to vacate all 38 wins from the season, including five NCAA tournament wins, because star player Derrick Rose’s SAT scores were invalidated. Calipari’s UMass team’s Final Four appearance in 1996 was erased after it was determined star player Marcus Camby had accepted money from two sports agents.nfl jersey store

Prairie View A&M Panthers

Record: 22-12, 17-1 in SWAC

How They Got Here: The Panthers started the season with 12 road games and went 1-11. Despite that inauspicious start, they steamrolled the conference schedule. Their only SWAC loss came on the road against conference tournament No. 2 cheap wholesale nike nfl jerseys seed Texas Southern, and it was avenged with a 92-86 victory in the tournament title game.

Reason to Believe: Prairie View showed it can at least hang around with tournament-caliber teams in competitive games against Baylor and UNC Greensboro at the start of the year. The offense is well-balanced with six players averaging at least seven points per game, led by senior guard Gary Blackston (15.2 PPG, 7.0 RPG). There’s something to be said for an utterly dominant showing during the conference schedule, even if it’s a low-level conference.cheap nfl nike jerseys free shipping

Reason to Worry: Forget Quad 1 and Quad 2. A win over sub-150 NET Santa Clara in November is the only Quad 3 win the Panthers have this season. They went 20-1 in Quad 4 games, but that’s not exactly something you can hang your hat on. They rank outside the top 200 in KenPom’s offensive and cheap nike jerseys nfl  defensive efficiency, and they played one of the weakest schedules in the country.cheap nfl jerseys from china nike

March Madness Ceiling: The Panthers have only been in the tournament one other time, seeded as a No. 16 seed in 1998 when Kansas beat them 110-52. That sounds about right.

1 Move Each NFL Team Should Make Before the Regular Season Begins

NFL teams are constantly in motion. Moves are always being made—even in the offseason.

Players are being added and jettisoned. Offensive and defensive schemes are being tweaked. Players are jockeying up and down draft charts.

In Cleveland, that’s called Tuesday morning.nike cheap nfl jerseys

Whether it’s the Browns taking a buzzsaw to a tomato can or the Philadelphia Eagles making a tweak or two to a championship roster, every team is making multiple changes this offseason.

Whether pretender or contender, every franchise, from Phoenix to Boston and all points in between, has at least one more move it should make before games start to count in September.

By all accounts, Josh Rosen has shone from the moment he set foot on the practice field for the Arizona Cardinals. While appearing on The Rich Eisen Show (via Jeremy Bergman of NFL.com), Pro Bowl corner Patrick Peterson raved about the 10th overall pick in the 2018 draft.nike nfl cheap jerseys

“I’m very impressed,” Peterson said earlier this month. “To see [Rosen] make checks and get guys in line early, I was like, ‘Has this guy been here before?’ I was very, very impressed of his spring camp, minicamp, OTAs. He’s just been extremely sharp.”nfl nike jerseys cheap china

If this trend continues into training camp, the future is now for the Cardinals, and Rosen should be under center in Week 1.

We know who Sam Bradford is: a bridge veteran who will all but certainly get injured at some point in the season. Arizona brought him in just as a stopgap. nike jerseys nfl cheap

So far, it doesn’t appear the team needs that bridge. This isn’t to say that Rosen will take the NFL by storm as a rookie, but some young quarterbacks learn best by doing.

It worked for Carson Wentz.

Two years ago, the Atlanta Falcons were an offensive juggernaut and a Super Bowl team. Last season, they were good offensively but not great. They got bounced from the playoffs in the divisional round.

The personnel were essentially the same. But under first-year offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian, the offense was both less consistent and explosive (it dropped from second in the league to eighth). Per Matthew Tabeek of the team’s website, Sarkisian is looking for a big improvement in 2018:

“I think the biggest thing for me is just overall comfort level. When I came in a year ago, it was learning the system that was in place. It was learning the players that were in place. In Year 2, I have a year in the system. Now I can make some of the tweaks that I feel like are needed for this offense to continue to grow.”

With an MVP quarterback in Matt Ryan, one of the NFL’s best receivers in Julio Jones and a two-headed monster at tailback in Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman—plus a first-round rookie wideout in Calvin Ridley—the pieces appear to be in place for a prolific, high-octane offense.

Sarkisian needs to channel his inner Kyle Shanahan and open things up. Spread the field. Attack vertically. And then use those backs and Ridley to exploit the holes that creates underneath.

American League Central

Chicago White Sox: RHP James Shields

The Chicago White Sox are clearly a year or more away from contention in the American League Central, despite their stable of young talent. They employ the 36-year-old James Shields, a useful pitcher for a contender but a disposable asset for a rebuilding squad.nfl online store

The ChiSox won’t be able to command a king’s ransom for Shields, who owns a 4.53 ERA. The veteran posted a 3.38 ERA in May and a 3.82 ERA in June, however, and has extensive postseason experience with the Tampa Bay Rays and Kansas City Royals.

Chicago won’t net any blue chips for Shields, but a contender looking for back-of-the-rotation buttressing will answer the phone.

Cleveland Indians: 3B Nolan Jones

The Cleveland Indians ought to run away with the AL Central without any additions. At the same time, they could add to a bullpen that ranks 28th in baseball with a 5.13 ERA.

Enter a move for the Padres’ Hand, the Baltimore Orioles’ Zach Britton or any number of other late-innings arms.

The Tribe should resist dealing catcher and top prospect Francisco Mejia or right-hander Triston McKenzie but could leverage Singe-A third baseman Nolan Jones to strengthen a squad that hasn’t hoisted a Commissioner’s Trophy since 1948.

Detroit Tigers: SS Jose Iglesias

The Detroit Tigers are in unambiguous rebuild mode even after a decent start. Shortstop Jose Iglesias is a pending free agent who’s hitting .272 and would be a solid role player for multiple buyers.

The 28-year-old won’t light the world on fire, but he hit .304 in June and could add depth for clubs such as the Los Angeles Dodgers, Arizona Diamondbacks and St. Louis Cardinals.

Kansas City Royals: 3B Mike Moustakas nike nfl store

The last-place Royals have already traded outfielder Jon Jay to the Diamondbacks and swapped reliever Kelvin Herrera to the Washington Nationals.

Next up could be third baseman Mike Moustakas, who has 17 home runs in 86 games and could interest contenders from the Atlanta Braves to the Cardinals with his combination of pop and postseason experience.

The 29-year-old would also be a minimal obligation with a $15 million mutual option and $1 million buyout left on his contract.wholesale nfl

Minnesota Twins: 2B Brian Dozier authentic nfl football

The Minnesota Twins lost 103 games in 2016 and won the American League’s second wild-card berth in 2017. This year, they’re stuck somewhere in the middle.

Yes, Minnesota could contend in the anything-goes AL Central, but more realistically, the small-market Twins should stock up for next season.

As such, they could move second baseman Brian Dozier, who’s hitting only .223 but boasts 18 doubles and 13 home runs and has drawn interest from the Dodgers, per Yahoo Sports’ Jeff Passan.

Dozier would be a rental, but his power pedigree from the middle infield will elicit a look-see from virtually every contender.nfl store online

Cincinnati Bengals

Key assistants: Offensive coordinator Bill Lazor, defensive coordinator Teryl Austin, offensive line coach Frank Pollack

Lewis is a respected defensive mind whose defenses have almost always been strong in Cincinnati, and he deserves credit for getting to the playoffs in seven of his 15 seasons as the Bengals’ head coach. However, he’s failed to win a playoff game in a decade-and-a-half there, and he’s won just 13 total games the last two seasons with a talented team. nike jersey nfl cheap

Among six head coaches who have been in their current roles at least 10 years, Lewis is the only one without a Super Bowl victory, let alone a playoff win.

At Head Coach Ranking, only Jackson ranked lower in terms of clock management, while only Jackson, Chuck Pagano and Steve Spagnuolo ranked lower when it came to in-game adjustments.

Lazor’s offense performed terribly last season and didn’t fare much better when he held the same title in Miami. There are high expectations for Austin, but he didn’t exactly put together championship defenses in Detroit. cheap youth nfl jerseys

They do get a little credit for recently stealing the well-reputed Pollack from the Cowboys, but that doesn’t make this a good staff.

Head coach: Adam Gase (16-16)youth nfl jerseys cheap

Key assistants: Offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains, defensive coordinator Matt Burke

Gase’s offenses performed exceptionally well in Denver, but that was with Peyton Manning under center.
And the Bears ranked in the bottom dozen in terms of scoring and yardage during his only season there. He does deserve some love for getting a strong run out of quarterback Ryan Tannehill before injuries cost the veteran the end of his 2016 campaign and all of 2017, but the Miami offense still ranked poorly both seasons.youth nfl jerseys

In terms of game-planning, only Joseph fared worse at Head Coach Ranking.

The 37-year-old Loggains might be considered a bit of an up-and-comer, but he didn’t deliver in two seasons as Chicago’s offensive coordinator, and the jury is still out on Burke after his first season running things on the other side of the ball.

There’s at least room for this staff to grow, but it’s hard to get too fired up about any of the primary coaches in Miami.

Head coach: Jon Gruden (95-81)

Key assistants: Offensive coordinator Greg Olson, defensive coordinator Paul Guenther, offensive line coach Tom Cable

This is a tricky one because Gruden has been out of football so long. He still deserves some credit for winning a Super Bowl 16 years ago, but let’s keep in mind that he went 45-51 while failing to win another playoff game during the six seasons that followed that championship campaign.

Has the game passed him by? It’s a fair question to ask, especially considering some of the odd moves he’s made this offseason.

Olson is a retread who hasn’t run a high-ranking offense since he was in St. Louis in 2006, and Cable didn’t do much to fix the Seahawks’ offensive line, but at least Guenther joins the fray with a strong resume from his time in Cincinnati.

There’s a lot of hype surrounding this staff, but it might be tremendously overrated.

Ranking the NFL’s Best Shutdown Cornerbacks

For the most part, the lifespan of a true shutdown cornerback in the NFL is unmercifully short.

Had this article been written three years ago, we’d likely be discussing the upcoming 2016 performances of Richard Sherman, Patrick Peterson, Josh Norman and Darrelle Revis. Now, none of those players are near the top of the list.cheap nike nfl jerseys free shipping

The position is difficult to attain because of the traits of a shutdown corner, and that’s why even the best in the business struggle to maintain their status. A shutdown corner has to erase his opponent’s best receiver on a week-to-week basis, which requires him to adjust his game to that player.nfl nike jerseys for cheap

One week, he may be facing a 6’5″, 240-pound behemoth who wants to jar his helmet from his head on every down. The next, he could be covering a 5’10” track star who could tie him knots with perfectly run routes.

Not only does he have to understand and execute coverage in zone, man and hybrid concepts, but he must also take advantage of specific techniques that allow him to turn receptions into disasters for the opposing quarterback.nfl cheap jerseys nike

He must play the boundary all the way down the field to take away the vertical routes. He must do the same when his receiver is headed up the seam as quickly as possible. He may need to slide into the slot if that’s where his receiver goes, and then he’s covering his man without the sideline as a helper. He must play trail, bail and press coverage at a high level, and he must do it over and over, more than 1,000 times per season.nike cheap nfl jerseys

It’s no mystery why shutdown cornerbacks are so valuable in today’s game. Here are the 10 best heading into the 2018 NFL season.

Could Aaron Rodgers’ Next Contract Change the Way the NFL Does Business?

Give Aaron Rodgers credit. He could be asking for all the money. All the Packers’ money. All the NFL’s money. All the advertisers’ money. Your money. My money.

As the NFL’s best quarterback, Rodgers could ask for just about everything short of the keys to the federal reserve and get it—or at least not get laughed at for thinking he deserved it. And he’s not doing that. Instead, cheap nike nfl jerseys free shipping according to a report last week by the NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo, all Rodgers is asking for is “player control” over his future.

Rodgers, asked about the reports, called it all “just conjecture” (at least he didn’t stomp his feet and shout Fake News)—but if these are indeed his demands in his next contract, they sound reasonable enough. Who doesn’t want a little more financial control over their future?

Rodgers has two years left on a deal that ranks 10th in the NFL in average money per year (all contract data courtesy OverTheCap.com). He is slated to earn a total of just over $42 million in salary and bonuses over the next two seasons. In the same span, Kirk Cousins will make $53 million; Jimmy Garoppolo, who has thrown fewer career touchdown passes (12) than Rodgers threw before getting hurt in mid-October last year (13), nfl cheap jerseys nike will make $57 million; and Derek Carr will make $47.5 million thanks to a contract extension that, in fairness, seemed like a pretty good idea at the time.nfl nike jerseys for cheap

Rodgers should be looking to restore order to the salary spreadsheets. And all the better if he does so not by becoming the highest-paid quarterback—a fleeting honor that only lasts until the next good quarterback hits the market—nike nfl jerseys wholesale cheap but by being the first one with the flexibility to renegotiate on his own terms, not the team’s terms.

It’d be downright revolutionary—represent an evolution of the NFL contract, one that turns quarterbacks, contractually, into a whole new species.

Indianapolis Colts: Edge-Rusher

Prior to the NFL draft, there was essentially a tie for the Indianapolis Colts’ biggest problem area in 2018.

Both the offensive and defensive lines needed work—quite a lot of it.

The former got a big boost on April 26 with the selection of Notre Dame guard Quenton Nelson, whom some pundits considered the top overall prospect in this year’s class.

The defensive line, on the other hand, didn’t get a ton of assistance. The Colts added some help in the form of second-round pick Tyquan Lewis, but the former Ohio State star was a rotational player with the Buckeyes who will probably need time to get his sea legs in the NFL.

That leaves Jabaal Sheard and Denico Autry as the front-runners to start on Indy’s new four-man front. Sheard’s the more proven of the two. Twice he’s notched at least eight sacks in a season, but he’s never hit double digits. Autry had five sacks for the Oakland Raiders a year ago, but that’s the high-water mark of his career.

If you can’t pressure the quarterback in today’s NFL, you’re going to get carved up.

Right now, it doesn’t look like a Colts team that was last in the AFC in sacks last year is going to make a leap forward in that regard.

Prior to the NFL draft, there was essentially a tie for the Indianapolis Colts’ biggest problem area in 2018.

Both the offensive and defensive lines needed work—quite a lot of it.

The former got a big boost on April 26 with the selection of Notre Dame guard Quenton Nelson, whom some pundits considered the top overall prospect in this year’s class.

The defensive line, on the other hand, didn’t get a ton of assistance. The Colts added some help in the form of second-round pick Tyquan Lewis, but the former Ohio State star was a rotational player with the Buckeyes who will probably need time to get his sea legs in the NFL.

That leaves Jabaal Sheard and Denico Autry as the front-runners to start on Indy’s new four-man front. Sheard’s the more proven of the two. Twice he’s notched at least eight sacks in a season, but he’s never hit double digits. china nike nfl jerseys cheap Autry had five sacks for the Oakland Raiders a year ago, but that’s the high-water mark of his career.

If you can’t pressure the quarterback in today’s NFL, you’re going to get carved up.

Right now, it doesn’t look like a Colts team that was last in the AFC in sacks last year is going to make a leap forward in that regard.

Oh yeah. I went there.cheap nfl nike jerseys from china

As the Jacksonville Jaguars showed in advancing to the AFC Championship Game, this is a team that is equipped to challenge for a berth in Super Bowl LIII.

The Jaguars possess a punishing ground game and one of the best defenses in football—maybe the best. That defense added even more pieces in this year’s draft in interior lineman Taven Bryan and safety Ronnie Harrison.

There’s just one problem. One sticking point. One issue looming over the squad.

Robby Blake Bortles.

Bortles isn’t necessarily a terrible quarterback. But among legitimate Super Bowl contenders, it’s hard to argue Jacksonville doesn’t have the worst player at football’s most important position—with very little behind him.cheap nike nfl jerseys free shipping

If Andrew Luck’s healthy this year, Bortles is probably the worst starting quarterback in the AFC South.

It’s somewhat understandable that the Jags committed to Bortles moving forward. He did, after all, lead the team to the cusp of its first Super Bowl. The devil you know is better than the devil you don’t and all that jazz.nfl cheap jerseys nike

But Bortles’ shortcomings as a quarterback are very real. And they may well come back to bite the Jaguars in 2018.

Feeling the Need for Speed (and Size) at Running Back

Moneyball principles may not recommend drafting a running back early, but the analytics love big, fast running backs just as much as scouts do.best nfl jerseys

ESPN’s Bill Barnwell developed Speed Score for Football Outsiders in 2008. It’s a deceptively simple way to combine a running back’s weight and 40 time into one easy-to-understand number. That way, no mental arithmetic must be done to compare a 233-pound back with 4.40 speed (Saquon Barkley) to a 198-pounder with 4.38 speed (NC State’s Nyheim Hines) or a 250-pounder with 4.69 speed (Texas’ Chris Warren).45b55945a7c07c3a3870ad73e9f83dbb_crop_exact

Barkley blew this year’s crop of running backs away with a 124.3 Speed Score. Hines and Warren also posted very good results for projected mid-rounders.nfl jersey for cheap  You can find the full list here, which has its share of surprises, like Nick Chubb beating Georgia teammate Sony Michel.

Speed Score is far from foolproof. After all, it’s just a blend of two combine results. But it’s a handy item to keep in the toolkit nfl jerseys cheap authentic  for informing the scouting process. A 1,000-yarder from a powerhouse program with a low Speed Score could be a product of his system. On the other hand, an unheralded rusher with a great Speed Score could be a diamond in the rough.

For example, Arizona State’s Kalen Ballage finished second to Barkley in Speed Score despite low production totals as part custom nfl jerseys cheap of a committee backfield in college. The measurables indicate that he deserves a closer look. You may want to keep an eye on him when it’s time to draft your fantasy team as well.customized nfl jerseys

Is Saquon Barkley Really a Generational RB Talent?

The 2018 draft class is fascinating for a number of reasons. As many as five quarterbacks could go in the first round, and there’s a surplus of talent at other positions. With question marks attached to all those quarterbacks, there’s a race for the title of “best player in the draft” outside the game’s most important position.
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Penn State running back Saquon Barkley is one of those players thought by many to be the best pure football talent in this class. In three years as a starter for the Nittany Lions, he gained 3,843 rushing yards and scored 43 touchdowns on 671 carries. He also caught 102 passes for 1,195 yards and eight touchdowns, and added 18 kickoff returns for 500 yards and two touchdowns.
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Barkley’s positional versatility is singularly impressive among the running backs in this class, and it would be the same in most draft classes. He can run inside and outside with tremendous speed, lateral agility and acceleration. As a receiver, he can line up anywhere from offset in a Pistol formation to the slot to outside—he has the potential to be the NFL’s best receiving back since Le’Veon Bell rounded out his skill set. As a direct-snap running quarterback who finds himself behind the center from pre-snap movement, Barkley can also create explosive plays. It’s easy to see why some would tout him as a truly great back, and in many aspects of his play, he is just that.
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Bert Whigham, who has been training Barkley this year at Tom Shaw Performance in Florida, set the bar fairly high regarding his client’s professional prospects, comparing him to another player Whigham has trained.nfl jerseys cheap authentic

“The only person I can think of that’s comparable physically is [Oakland Raiders linebacker] Khalil Mack,” Whigham told Pat Leonard of the New York Daily News. “Khalil and Saquon are my 1a. and 1b. These two guys are outliers. They’re freaks. It’s those two and then probably [Tennessee Titans running back] Derrick Henry, another freak. But with Khalil, we knew he was the No. 1 overall pick. We knew he was going to be special. And it’s the same with Saquon. You’ve got a generational talent.”