It only took two seasons for Joe Mazzulla to prove that he has what it takes to be an NBA coach.Mazzulla was thrust into the spotlight in September 2022 when the Boston Celtics named him interim coach after Ime Udoka was suspended by the team for the entire 2022-23 campaign for violations of organizational policies.Just 21 months later, the Celtics, under a 35-year-old Mazzulla who had his interim tag removed in February 2023, were hoisting the Larry O’Brien Trophy to mark their 18th title in franchise history.But these types of success stories are rare.Plenty of coaches have waited well over two years to make their mark, and here are three who need to do so this season if they want to refine their reputation.Doc Rivers, Milwaukee BucksWhen it comes to causing title contenders to fall s…

Happy New Years’ Eve everybody! I hope you’re getting ready to kiss 2021 goodbye and good riddance, but before we celebrate another revolution around the sun and kick off 2022, I want to take one last look at some cool moments from the past 365 days. There were a multitude of sports events that had fans up on their seats, screaming at the television, and begging for more this year. Here were some of the best. 10) Euro 2021's Round of 16 gives us two unforgettable matches source: Getty Images It’s two for the price of one to kick off our list! The Euro Championship may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but good games are good games no matter who their fans are. While an argument could be made that the Euro Final between Italy and England that saw the Italians win in penalties a…

Today’s column is about brain injuries. The first time I watched my pet mantis eat a cricket, she deftly ripped its head off and wore it like a little helmet while mowing through its soupy innards. Hovering over her plastic habitat, I was so very pleased with my tiny murder friend. The spectacle of violence is one of nature’s most compelling shows. In owning a mantis, I am complicit in a specific kind of sanctioned violence. If I were pitting fighting cocks against one another in my backyard, such bloodshed would be frowned upon, despite the cocks’ furious urgency. Were I catching small charismatic mammals and gifting them to a cat for torture, someone would undoubtedly start a file on me. But no, I am merely creeping around my yard at night in my pajamas, catching beautiful and u…

The past two weeks have been plenty good for Carl Monday. Not only was he a charter member of our own Hall of Fame, but he also won … an Emmy! Yes, Carl won his, by our count, 31st regional Emmy last week, and it was a special one: It appeared not to be for any individual story but instead for "journalistic enterprise." This catch-all phrase allows him to earn his Emmy for creating his own little niche, which we respect and absolutely support. We feel bad for those who must lose to Carl seemingly every year; what's it gonna take to beat that guy? So, congratulations, Carl. We imagine you constantly checking on your 31 Emmys to make sure none of them have tried to have sex with each other. WJW-8 Takes Home Seven Local Emmys; WOIO-19 Gets Six [Cleveland Plain-Deal…

An attorney for Louisville’s incoming five-star recruit Brian Bowen—the player at the center of the school’s involvement in the FBI investigation that resulted in the firings of Rick Pitino and athletic director Tom Jurich—announced Thursday that Bowen has been cleared by the FBI of any “investigative impediments.” A university spokesperson told the that Bowen is still enrolled at the school, but the 6-foot-7 small forward has been barred from participating in team activities since the FBI announced its investigation. The spokesperson remained mum on whether Bowen was indefinitely suspended or ruled ineligible. Now that he’s been cleared, Bowen can potentially be reinstated and join Louisville on the court this season pending an internal investigation by the Louisville…

data-mm-id=”_v8c0cn6lc”>Cam Newton hasn't looked like Cam Newton in quite some time. The former MVP wasn't at his best in 2018 before getting shut down with a shoulder injury. He took his recovery slowly, but was expected to be fully healthy for the beginning of the Panthers' season. As it turns out, that wasn't the case. Newton looked okay in Week 1 before completely falling apart in Week 2. The news broke on Monday that Newton was struggling with a foot injury and his status was in doubt for Week 3. Naturally, this opens up the divisive superstar to criticism from all sides, including but not limited to Paul Finebaum and the Get Up crew. Finebaum was adamant that we were not seeing the beginning of the end of Newton, but rather the end has already arrived (full vi…

data-mm-id=”_5csw7p0kd”>The February 6th NBA trade deadline is rapidly approaching and teams are already looking to make moves. Both conferences are fairly wide open and a big trade could help a dozen different teams make legitimate playoff runs. Or improve their lottery chances. So who is buying and who is selling? BUYERSDallas MavericksThe Mavericks are a dangerous playoff team as long as Luka Doncic walks this earth without a limp. They just lost center Dwight Powell, who had started 37 of the Mavericks' first 43 games, to a ruptured Achilles. They already acquired Willie Cauley-Stein. Now it's just a question of where else they can improve.Los Angeles Lakers & Los Angeles ClippersHealthy, both teams are title contenders as constituted. Neither team is anywhere near pe…