Tag Archive for: college football

What Are the Advantages and Disadvantages of Betting in the NCAAF?

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NCAAF, or the National Collegiate Athletic Association Football, has been around since 1869 it was first played. These players would play for four years in college while recruited for the NFL or the National Football League and other leagues of their choosing. 

 

The NCAAF has a huge fanbase, usually from alums, but its bettors are usually from around the globe. It’s a popular sport to place wagers on, so let’s look at its advantages and disadvantages. 

 

The Advantages of NCAAF Betting

As you know, college football is quite popular, and for good reason! This section focuses on the advantages of NCAAF betting and why you should do it too. 

 

Great Betting Opportunities

Don’t look down on NCAAF betting’s popularity since it’s almost as popular as the NFL. That means you can find numerous sports books to bet on NCAA football and find the best college football odds. You can get your lines from land-based sports books and big online bookies. Just find a sports book that suits your preferences. There are numerous top sportsbooks with great odds and lines and system usability.

 

Since there are numerous sports books on the market where you can shop for lines, you can easily find the best odds and lines you want to wager on. Due to its popularity, you won’t have to be limited in your betting decisions. 

 

Top Dominating Players

When a dominating player comes to the field, they can change the course of a game. It’s why recruiters will ensure that they get the best of the best in their team. Every team will need a complete set of players with different expertise. This setting is the same for every team; however, you will see that in every season, certain players dominate games in different weeks. 

 

When gamblers think of dominating players, they immediately think of quarterbacks. However, there are also instances when the running back or defensive end dominates the game. It’s evident in the NCAA 2019 season. When Chase Young from Ohio State dominated every team in his path, their opponents had to change their game plan due to his dominance on the field. 

 

It would help to look for the teams with dominating players when betting on NCAA football. Witness how they would change every game with their domineering presence on the field. Using this information can help ensure that you’re making profitable wagers. 

 

There Are Talent Gaps

The NCAAF is different from NFL. In NFL, the best recruits are dispersed into different teams. That’s because it’s a professional football league, and almost all teams have what it takes to win the season. In NCAAF, you can observe that the best recruits tend to be on the same teams. It’s why you’ll see that the top 10 usually comprises the same teams. 

 

You can see this in the recruiting rankings for the NCAAF teams. However, the rankings are great to help you see who’s talented this season and which team can help you make a profit. You don’t have to bet on the top teams; you can just focus on looking at the teams that are small and medium-sized. It’s recommended that you don’t look at teams with a big conference. 

 

When looking at the NCAAF teams, you can see leagues with good recruits and those with poor to average recruits. By observing the teams for several seasons, you would see which teams perform best each season. Consider doing this in the 2023 season. 

 

The Disadvantages of NCAAF Betting

NCAAF betting is gambling on college football teams. Since you are gambling, there are always risks; continue reading below to get to know them. 

You Can Get Addicted.

Gambling is undoubtedly fun and exhilarating; however, due to these properties, you can get addicted if you aren’t careful, which makes it dangerous. Once you win, you will do whatever it takes to win again, even if your guesses don’t pan out. It’s an activity that may cloud your judgment and eventually lead you to lose your savings if you are not careful. 

 

Risk of Losing Money

You are gambling on your guess – that means the chances of winning your bet would depend on luck, your research if it’s legitimate, and many more. Various factors contribute to winning a bet. So, the chances of losing a bet are high. For this reason, you would see many guidebooks to NCAAF betting to do your research and read up on past performances to help you make an educated and confident guess. 

 

Final Thoughts

Being informed is a must when it comes to betting. Knowing the pros and risks of NCAAF betting is essential so that you know before you place your hard-earned money on wagers. 

It’s fun and exhilarating due to the many great betting opportunities, but it can also be dangerous due to its addicting properties. So, use the list to help you decide if you would proceed to NCAAF betting. 

 

Iowa Hawkeyes Football Team Welcomes 11 Newcomers

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It’s been quite a while since we last saw head coach Kirk Ferentz and the Iowa Hawkeyes take the field, but as we know by now, most programs have already started to get ready for the upcoming campaign, and they’re not the exception to that rule. Nearly 12 weeks after their last game, they finally conducted the first day of their yearly spring practices.

 

Unsurprisingly, the Hawkeyes have one goal in mind, which is claiming their second Big Ten West title in the past three years. Nonetheless, maybe some of the fans may need to temper their expectations, as there will be as many as 11 newcomers in the program for the upcoming campaign.

 

Ferentz knows it might take a while before all the new guys are settled in and ready to contribute, and you can just see that if you visit ClutchBet.com and take a look at the odds for next season. The program was way more active in the NCAA’s transfer portal than it usually is, so there will be some growing pains as the new guys get used to his system:

 

“It was our biggest group of newcomers (from fall to spring),” Ferentz said in his media availability. “Then the mix of newcomers are veteran players as opposed to the past, typically high school guys. That’s really been an interesting process for us. We got two more (transfer portal players: linebacker Nick Jackson and offensive lineman Rusty Feth) that are scheduled to be here in June. Looking forward to that, as well.”

 

Needless to say, the Hawkeyes will look to spend as much time as they can getting the new guys up to speed within their system, with coach Ferentz stating that they’ll take a fully-developmental approach.

A QB Competition Brewing In Iowa

 

Regardless of their defensive success, it’s not a secret that Iowa’s offense has been lacking for quite a while now. Notably, the addition of former Michigan QB Cade McNamara might as well open the door for a new regime for the Hawkeyes.

 

Senior Spencer Petras isn’t likely to come back due to a potentially career-ending shoulder injury, and with Junior Alex Padilla transferring to SMU, Ferentz was quick to land McNamara and Deacon Hill in his QB room.

 

Notably, the expectation was that McNamara would be the team’s starter right away, with Hill and Joe Labas going toe-to-toe to land the backup spot. Nonetheless, McNamara is dealing with an injury, so the job might be up for grabs if any of those players impresses the coaching staff during practice. 

 

“[McNamara’s] Not full throttle, but is doing some work in 7-on-7 drills,” the Head Coach said. “The good news is he’s been throwing some individual stuff, throwing on his own. As long as there’s nobody around him, as long as he’s comfortable, we’re going to let him participate in that.”

Everyone Needs To Step Up

The Hawkeyes will likely go through a bit of a transition phase, but that doesn’t mean they’re not ready to compete. Coach Ferentz knows they might not have the same depth from other years, but he expects several guys to step up and embrace bigger roles next season:

 

“We have some quality guys (but) we’re thin,” Ferentz said. “Start with —  it’s easy to pick Jay (Higgins) because he played a lot last year. A guy that’s ascended in the program. To think we’re going to replace Jack Campbell is not realistic. We don’t have a guy like him. The group I’m excited about, just cherry-pick. You have Jay (Higgins), Carson (Sharar), and Kyler Fisher. Kyler is the same thing; we really see him ascending right now. Karson is a guy that’s really intriguing. This spring will be really important for them.”

 

Iowa’s combination of youth and experience makes them an interesting team ahead of the upcoming campaign. We already know who they’ll be on the defensive side of the field, so hopefully, a new QB can finally help them take a step forward offensively as well.

Most Wagered College Football Teams of the Decade

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If you’re a college football fan, you’ve had some of the best times in the last decade because of the exciting turn of events in the top college football teams and the legitimization of sports betting.

Countless teams have come and gone throughout the years, making it impossible to draw any firm conclusions on how they’re better than the others. For this list, we focused on the best college football teams expected to win the NCAA championships in the last decade.

Alabama Crimson Tide

Out of Alabama’s 16 NCAA championships, just three came before the poll era. Nick Saban, the head coach of the University of Alabama football team, became the first coach in NCAA history to win more championships than the great Bear Bryant, who won seven titles. In addition, Alabama was a participant in the College Football Playoff every year from 2012 through 2018, except for 2019.

In college football odds, the Alabama football team is the favorite to win the national title this 2022. On the other hand, the Crimson Tide still has 15 games, some of which might be quite challenging.

For a team to win a championship needs more than just two players. However, the team’s best two players are the top reason why they have a shot at winning. Bryce Young and Will Anderson Jr. are two of the greatest players in the country, and the Alabama Crimson Tide has both. 

Ohio Buckeyes

After losing starting quarterback Braxton Miller to injury before the 2014 season, the Buckeyes weren’t considered much of a chance to win the national championship. The next man up was J.T. Barrett, and he led Ohio State to a loss against Virginia Tech, the Buckeyes’ second of the season. However, after Barrett went down with a season-ending injury, the Buckeyes still managed to win later. 

 

Cardale Jones led a 59-0 blowout of Wisconsin in the Big Ten title game, while Ezekiel Elliott rushed for 476 yards and six touchdowns in a College Football Playoff (CFP) favored victory over Alabama and Oregon to conclude the 12-1 championship record.

Georgia Bulldogs

Kirby Smart has worked with the Georgia Bulldogs since the team replaced its longstanding manager before the 2016 season. As a result, Georgia was able to recruit more effectively under his direction, and the Bulldogs won the national championship for the first time since 1980. 

Moreover, the Bulldogs set several records in the NFL draft this spring. Their dynamic defense, for instance, set a new mark by securing five first-round picks. In addition, the Bulldogs made a vow to make it to the Final Four, and it was another factor in Georgia’s victory over Oklahoma.

Preseason odds made the Georgia Bulldogs the third favorite to win the national championship this year. The Bulldogs were rated third, trailing No. 2 Ohio State and No. 1 Alabama.

Clemson Tigers

Dabo Swinney is regarded as one of the top college football coaches owing to his 11-year streak of leading his team to 10 or more victories. He has reached the national championship four times since 2015, winning twice and losing twice. 

Since the Tigers snatched glory away from Florida State, no other Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) team has come close to matching their accomplishments. Despite still being the odds-on favorite to win the ACC Championship Game this year, the Clemson Tigers have had a relatively lackluster season thus far.

Oklahoma Sooners

The long and storied success of the Oklahoma Sooners makes it one of the premier programs in college football. It has been for the better part of a century. However, despite winning several Big 12 wins since the 2017 season, Oklahoma’s three appearances in the College Football Playoff have resulted in few significant victories. 

 

After spending the previous four years as the defensive coordinator at Clemson, Venables is returning to Oklahoma to take over for incoming USC head coach Lincoln Riley. Venables worked in various roles in Oklahoma from 1999 to 2011. 

The Sooners’ decision to transfer to the Southeastern Conference (SEC) in the coming years may increase their revenue from football. Still, it may make it much more difficult for one of the strongest teams in the nation to win a national title.

LSU Tigers

The Tigers will forever be remembered as a legendary team in collegiate football. It is the only college football program to win three national titles since 2000, and they did it with three different coaches. In addition, LSU has the most significant offense in SEC history. 

Joe Burrow, a senior quarterback, had a fantastic senior season. The schedule boasts several remarkable victories, the most recent coming against a Clemson team striving to join the select group of college football’s finest franchises.

Final Thoughts

While not every college football team can win the national championship, even those who fall short of that mark can still be considered among the best in the history of the sport. Sometimes, the heavy favorites don’t win but are still champions in their supporters’ hearts.

D' Eriq King

Why College Football Might be Harder Than Other College Sports

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Most students find preparing for college hard enough, but college football recruits, in particular, also need to think about athletic performance. College football could be harder than other college sports because of the intensive preparation needed. 

How do people manage? How does a freshman become a college football star? Most top recruits will tell you they started prepping as early as their junior year of high school. That’s when coaching staff nationwide starts looking. 

Preparation: the details

Different players need different kinds of strength. Runners need speed; quarterbacks need arm strength; defensive backs need agility, and linemen need solid cores. In addition, there’s also mental preparation to consider. 

The coaching staff wants more than someone with talent. A linebacker that adapts to stunts and shifts quickly is in high demand. The same goes for a quarterback who can assess defensive coverage instantly. 

There are also academics to consider. Players have to fulfill some minimum academic requirements. People who fail their classes will bid their college football dreams farewell. 

College football requires stamina 

A freshman who takes the field faces mature-bodied men who are five years older. They are almost at their peak shape and have quite a bit of experience playing football. They are stronger, faster, and bigger than the freshman, who has his work cut out for him in the way of strength training. 

Players take a 2-3 week break when the high school football season ends. This is over by Christmas, when they start training again, specifically weight training and a lot of it. 

College coaches don’t train players before summer, so it’s up to the latter to get ready for next fall. Usually, weight training takes place four days a week, where the player trains his upper body on some days and his lower body on others. Such intensive training is not typically for any other college sport.  

Ultimately, the best-prepared team gets the top odds and the most fans. Location is also a factor. Recently, sports betting became legal in Ohio, and the interest in football is huge. This Caesars Ohio promo code will help you make the most of your wager, especially if you’re a freshman to betting. 

Skill training

A recruit who can’t hold the ball will be passed over, no matter how strong or fast he is. It’s easy to forget the basics with all the speed and strength training that season preparation requires from a freshman. Compared to other sports, college football runs at the speed of light, whether it’s hitting blocking tasks, carrying into gaps, running routes, or dropping into coverage. Sports like track and field focus on just one component: speed and strength. Football demands physical effort in every aspect. Football players have to be fast, strong, and skillful. You need to undergo drill after drill. A running back should always keep the ball tucked away. A quarterback must always throw. Catches and routes are what wide receivers are responsible for. The list is endless. 

Speed 

Everyone is fast in college football. The difference to high school is awe-inspiring. The guys running away from your tackles or coming to tackle you will be doing it far more quickly than they did in high school. Linebackers chase faster, running backs run more quickly, and quarterbacks throw the ball faster. No other college sport places such universal emphasis on speed. 

College football places great emphasis on your running technique. The player’s ground force can be maximized in a way to produce top speed and the best acceleration. A lot of training is involved, including with weight sleds.

Top 8 College Football Teams to Bet on This Season

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The 2022 college football season will kick off on Saturday, August 27, 2022, and punters can now place wagers on the team they are rooting to win. However, before we start betting on competitions for 12 hours every Saturday, there are also some future bets with a lot of worth.

 

You’re probably interested in which college football team seems to have the best shot at winning the national championship as a bookmaker. Watch the top eight football teams bet on during the NCAAF 2022 season.

 

Oklahoma State

Countless individuals are looking forward to more Oklahoma State in 2022 because Spencer Sander and the majority of their starters on offense are returning. And, even though the team’s roster was destroyed by players who left for the NFL, current first-year coach Brent Venables has performed an outstanding job of reloading via the transfer portal.

 

As a result, Coldon, a Wyoming transfer, and Morrison, a North Carolina transfer, were ideal secondary additions. So remember to keep your eyes on them and to research them before anything else thoroughly.

 

Michigan

Michigan was among the major highlights of the 2021 season, having defeated Ohio State for the first time since 2011. Furthermore, the defending Big Ten champion, Michigan, is considered one of the top picks at +800 odds.

 

And even after losing seven starting players to the NFL, the Wolverines came back with a powerful offense but must fill several gaps on defense. As such, even though Michigan is one of the better bets on the college football betting board, ensure that you thoroughly research them and other competing teams.

 

Texas A&M

The Aggies hope to stop eighty-three years of dry spell without needing a national championship in 2022. Also, Haynes King’s competitive quarterback rivalry with transfer Max Johnson is vital.

 

Furthermore, the Texas A&M Aggies recruited the top class in 2022 and have intense talent on both sides of the field, along with running back Devon Achen. Therefore, everything will all ultimately boils down to who the number one quarterback is and whether they can indeed take advantage of the opportunity.

 

USC

Lincoln Riley’s hype at USC is likely justified based on his stellar record at Oklahoma, particularly with Caleb Williams as his quarterback for the upcoming two seasons. And, with all the talent gathered, it will definitely be a very great offense.

 

Furthermore, Riley is well-known for operating a solid defense because he is one of the competition’s most prominent offensive minds. And bringing back Williams at quarterback, the nation’s top receiver from last season, two top-level running backs, and two other powerful wideouts will only end up making their offensive line more challenging.

 

Kansas State

For the year 2022, the Big 12 appears to be fully open, with numerous teams capable of winning the conference. The Wildcats return 14 starting players from last season’s 8-5 squad, which includes the ten All-Conference performers.

 

In other words, Kansas State comes back with the most high performance on both sides of the field among all the Big 12 teams in the year 2022. The Kansas State team lost Skylar Thompson for the quarterback position, but they were able to replace him with Adrian Martinez, a transfer from the Nebraska team.

 

Ohio State

After successfully completing first in total offense a year ago, no one has reason to doubt Ohio State’s capability to move the ball. However, following his 347 passing yards in the Rose Bowl, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, receiver, will emerge as one of the season’s hottest names.

 

In addition, having Jim Knowles, who led Oklahoma’s defensive line to rank third last season, presently makes Ohio State an assertive, defensive back-led approach that can strike opposing players with diverse formations and different levels of coverage. Lastly, Cameron Brown and Denzel Burke will also serve as cornerbacks until safety Josh Proctor recuperates from his injury.

 

Alabama

Numerous players from the prior season return for Alabama. Moreover, coach Nick Saban also has managed to bring in a few more fresh players through the transfer portal.

 

Even though Alabama lost some key players during the offseason, some have decided to return, including Heisman Trophy winner Bryce Young. Also, Alabama is among the most highly touted teams for bettors to back, so make sure to research their NCAAF odds properly before placing bets on them.

 

Georgia

Last year, the Georgia Bulldogs won the national championship game, having beaten Alabama 33-18. So unless they stay true to their game strategy and make as few changes as possible, they have a solid chance of repeating the upcoming season.

 

Georgia’s roster is looking strong, with five five-star draftees, including defensive lineman Mykel Williams and safety Malaki Starks. Furthermore, with quarterback Stetson Bennett’s eligibility set to expire at the end of the present season, the senior will also be aiming to win back-to-back championships.

 

Final Thoughts

The countdown to the beginning of another finals series of college football has officially started, and every week draws us nearer to the start of another season, so it’s time to begin looking forward with the NCAAF national championship odds. And fingers crossed, the above list of top eight eNCAAF teams with favorable odds will assist you in deciding which team to wager on.

 

Gators’ Dan Mullen Looks to Stay Undefeated Against Tennessee

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Coming off a close loss to top-ranked Alabama last week, No. 11 Florida is ready to move on and take on another SEC matchup at home against the Tennessee Volunteers. Florida has a 30-20 overall record against Tennessee, winning the last 15 of 16 games, and they’re favored by 18.5 points as of Thursday, September 23rd. 

 

Despite the spread, this game should be entertaining nonetheless. Florida is second in the nation in total rushing offense while Tennessee is fifth in rushing defense, allowing just 54.3 rush yards per game. This statistic might seem daunting at first glance but Tennessee has not even played an SEC team yet, with their first three games coming against Bowling Green, Pittsburgh, and Tennessee Tech. Florida also accounts for over 550 yards of total offense per game so far. 

 

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Florida’s defense through the first three games of the season has improved from last season as well, allowing 21.7 points a game, 960 total yards, and 17 third down conversions.  Coach Dan Mullen has an undefeated record against Tennessee at Florida (3-0) and I don’t expect that to change this Saturday.

 

What is your prediction for the Tennessee Florida game? Let us know in the comments below.

 

Oklahoma and Texas want in on SEC

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Since last week, it was rumored that the University of Texas and the University of Oklahoma were interested in joining the Southeastern Conference. These rumors have become a reality as it was confirmed that they have been in discussion for the past six months. This week, the University of Texas and University of Oklahoma have also issued a joint statement that confirms they will be leaving the Big 12 Conference in 2025 and have requested invitations to join the SEC.

 

This includes letting their current media rights agreements expire. Considering Texas and Oklahoma are the Big 12’s two biggest football programs, this a huge blow to their conference and their future remains uncertain. 

 

While it’s humbling that everyone wants to come to the SEC as it’s often considered the most competitive conference in college football, it questions how unfair the lesser competition of other conferences will be. Let’s take a look at the ACC and Big Ten for example. Every year, Clemson and Ohio State have a clear and easy path to the college football playoff, as their regular season schedules are a lot easier than any team in the SEC. 

 

With the two possible additions of Oklahoma and Texas, the SEC will certainly become a super conference at this point, with a potential total of 16 teams! This will change college football as we know it, and could pave the way for other super conferences to develop in the near future.

Recap of Miami Dolphins’ March 26 Madness

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Let me just start off with this,

 

Chris Grier my brother your flowers and a round of applause

 

I will be the first to admit that I had been a skeptic of Chris Grier because of picks like Charles Harris and no RB or WR being drafted before the 6th round, but wow did Chris knock it out of the park in trading back with the 49ers…. So, in the in the midst of me praising Chris Grier and writing this article, He decided that he would make another trade this time with the Philadelphia Eagles so let’s recap all the craziness so far.

 

The First Deal:

This bomb shocked everyone as Flores had previously mentioned picking someone “let’s say in the top 10” so a trade with the 49ers came as a surprise as most expected it to be the Carolina Panthers at 8 who would trade up. For the 49ers this move signals that a QB run will start the 2021 NFL Draft. For the Dolphins the move to 12 signaled serious Najee Harris vibes as the first pick but Chris Grier had other plans apparently, as he was not done dealing for the day.

 

 

Trade with Eagles:

If the deal with the 49ers didn’t kick you off your chair, then the one with the Eagles for sure did. This one move here signifies that the Dolphins aren’t just about wheeling and dealing for picks, but they’ll do it for a specific player as well. I really have to wonder which player or players they have identified as being potential choices for the number 6 overall selection.

 

New Draft Order:

Overall looking at the end result of the 2021 NFL Draft and a couple things standout for me.

  1. The 2021 NFL Draft will start with 4 straight QB selections.
  2. The Bengals will have the choice of both Penei and Chase
  3. And the Dolphins might still have the choice of the top 3 WR and Kyle Pitts at 6.
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To round it all up, this move was probably the biggest indicator of Chris Grier playing chess not  checkers with the competition. Not only was he able to turn the #3 overall pick into a plethora of riches in the coming years:

But he was also able to put the Dolphins in a position where all the options that should be getting considered at 3, are now slam dunk picks at 6 after all the moves.

 

Chris Grier, you killed this one chief!

Gators leaving Georgia feeling blue

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Since 1933, the Florida-Georgia rivalry has been held in Jacksonville, Florida annually. While the number of fans in attendance had to be dialed down, the game didn’t let down at all.

The #8 ranked Florida Gators(4-1) took down the #5 Georgia Bulldogs(4-2) in their SEC showdown, and it wasn’t even that close. How did they do it?

The Gators played an amazing defensive game but this win really comes down to Kyle Trask’s HUGE performance.

The Gators defense held starting quarterback, Stetson Bennett, to 78 yards and a touchdown on only 5 completions. Cornerback, Kaiir Elam also intercepted Bennett in the 3rd quarter.

The Gators defense was playing so well containing Bennett that the bulldogs benched him and brought in D’Wan Mathis.

The Gators held Mathis to 34 yards and a touchdown on only 4 completions, and also intercepted him twice.

While containing the Bulldogs defensively, Kyle Trask picked apart the Bulldogs defense to propel the Gators offense to 44 points.

Trask WENT OFF with 474 yards and 4 touchdowns on 30 completions. He was down 0-14 in the first quarter but then started a 38-7 scoring run to bring the score to 38-21 at the end of the half. It didn’t end there as his air assault continued to overcome Georgia 44-28.

Kyle Trask’s Heisman-worthy performance brings him to 1815 yards and 22 touchdowns on the season in only 5 games. Trask is tied with 3 other college quarterbacks for first place in touchdowns this season, but the others have all played at least one more game than him. How far will Trask carry the Gators this season? Only time will tell.

Miami Hurricanes

The South Florida Ravens Continue To Put In Work In Our Backyard

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As the south Florida native, Antonio Brown, continues to try and make his way on a roster, he is working out here in South Florida. Today on Wednesday, April 1st, he worked out with the Ravens stars Lamar Jackson and Hollywood Brown.

Lamar grew up in Pompano Beach and Marquise “Hollywood” Brown, Antonio’s cousin, grew up in Hollywood Florida. Alabama’s star receiver, Jerry Jeudy, was also working out with them who grew up in Deerfield beach Florida.

The Ravens also have guys like Calais Campbell and Gus Edwards who each played for the Miami Hurricanes. Baltimore’s star running back Mark Ingram also spends a lot of time in the offseason in South Florida.

With all of these South Florida ties, are the Ravens trying to add Antonio Brown or move up to draft Jerry Jeudy? Time can only tell if the South Florida Ravens will make it happen. The Miami Dolphins may not be on top, but South Florida players are.

Tag Archive for: college football

Coronavirus and Sports: Becoming Numb

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I was going to write about Inter Miami, I really was. Maybe it would have been an upbeat preview about the “MLS Is Back” schedule reveal (Breakfast with Inter Miami vs. Chicago Fire at 9 a.m. on July 14, can you dig it?) or a more serious, ominous look at the league and its protocols as we are only 2 weeks away from the start of the first tournament in the United States after the pandemic.

But then I thought “AFTER the pandemic? We are barely during the pandemic, much less past it” and I discovered I’m sort of…detached? Nah, that’s not the word. I still follow the American sports landscape and want sports to be back. Shocked? That’s not it either, nothing that has happened the past three months has surprised me even a little, and that’s saying something. Numb? Yes, that’s it. I’m numb to the developments in the sports world nowadays, and I’m pretty sure other fans, writers and even players feel similarly.

I’m numb because I saw the news about 16 NBA players (the equivalent of an entire team’s roster, plus one) testing positive for COVID-19 and my reaction isn’t “Oh my, what if they backtrack and the season is cancelled?” It’s more like “I’m fine with whatever happens, I’m just waiting to see everyone freak out when a true superstar tests positive and [insert team here] has to play an entire series without him.”

I’m numb because “43 Division I teams have been eliminated in the last 12 weeks, and more than 130 programs have been cut across all NCAA levels”, and those kids weren’t earning millions of dollars, even as some of their coaches were and certainly their athletic departments are.

LOOKING FOR A SOLUTION

New Zealand is past the pandemic with tens of thousands gathering with joy to watch a rugby match most of them probably don’t remember the final score of. Europe is crowning champions as its cases are mostly going down (hello, Sweden, we see you) and fans celebrate the end of droughts in Liverpool and Naples as the ball keeps rolling with no apparent setbacks week after week.

Liverpool fans celebrate outside Anfield.

Even South America has soccer, but that’s because they don’t really give a shit in Brazil and they are bent on living like there is literally no tomorrow and they had the most new daily cases in the world on Thursday, June 25. Seems healthy.

Meanwhile, the United States of America is looking at itself in the mirror and wonders how it all went so wrong, so quickly after three months of sacrifices that were supposed to pave the way for sports to come back swiftly and smoothly.

We are Rachel and the Coronavirus is Ross asking: “OVER you? When were you UNDER me?” while we beat ourselves up wondering what went wrong and the President compares a deadly virus to the sniffles.

I’m numb because baseball is about to be back for a lightning round of games that promise to be exciting. Why am I not excited? I should be, with every game being three times as important and the potential of a repeat of that frantic 2011 finish of the regular season that gave every baseball fan a collective heart attack.

My heart rate is nowhere near skyrocketing, though. Some experts don’t even think the season will be able to finish.

I should be pumped to witness the start of the Tua era in Miami, but then I see that the Hall of Fame game between the Cowboys and the Steelers was cancelled and I’m bracing for what August and September might bring.

I’m even numb to the added crowd noise and the “virtual fans” we see at European soccer games. It’s background noise.

Maybe you read this and thought I spent 700 words being dramatic, and that’s ok. Maybe you will feel numb or jaded until 2021, and that’s ok too. Maybe this is just temporary, and everything feels a little alien after 100+ days of uncertainty and I will be all pumped up again in a couple of weeks when sports feel “real” again.

I will be waiting for that moment to come.