Shannon Sharpe and Chad Johnson React as Deion Sanders Announces He Would Give His Jim Thorpe Award to Travis Hunter Following Snub

The finalists for the Jim Thorpe Award, given to the best defensive back in college football, have been announced. And, much to the dismay of Colorado Buffaloes’ Deion Sanders, Travis Hunter was not among the finalists. Coach Prime, however, is ready to hand his star two-way player the Thorpe Award he won back in 1988.

“The omission was idiotic,” said Sanders. “It devalued the integrity of the award. How is Travis snubbed by the Thorpe Award? You can have my award… matter of fact I’m going to give him mine.”

The omission came as a surprise because Hunter has been viewed as a frontrunner for the Heisman trophy right through the season. His ability to make a substantial impact on both offense as a WR, and defense as a CB, made his contribution to the team substantial. The Thorpe snub has led many to question the award and its voting process.

Shannon Sharpe and Chad Johnson gave out their reactions to the matter on their podcast, Night Cap. 

“You mean to tell me he’s not one of the three best DBs in the country?” Sharpe asked Johnson.

“We already know he is,” Johnson responded. “Actually, we know he’s the best DB.”

Johnson, a former all-pro NFL receiver, has been high on Hunter all season. He has regularly praised him for his stamina and ability to understand the intricacies of both offense and defense and playing accordingly.

However, there are analysts who disagree with the notion that Hunter is automatically one of the best in the game because of his ability to play both sides of the ball. The Buffs star often gets criticized for being “good” in both positions and not “elite” at one.

But Johnson believes the hate Hunter receives is not just because of his personal abilities or style of play. It has got to do with coach Sanders too, who has become a massive coaching personality in college football over the past few years.

Some fans dislike the coach’s approach to the game.

“Based on how they feel about him,” Johnson continued. “Allowing their disdain and disgust for him [Deion] personally to affect the players on the team that are deserving of the accolades.”

It’s hard to not see the truth in Johnson’s statement. Sanders has become a polarizing figure in college football. Some fans believe his ego is too big and that he steals the limelight from his players. Others believe he’s the best coach in the game, having successfully rebuilt two programs.

One thing is for sure: Deion will be giving his old Thorpe award to Hunter. “I’m not using it; it’s just sitting up there collecting dust.”

The post Shannon Sharpe and Chad Johnson React as Deion Sanders Announces He Would Give His Jim Thorpe Award to Travis Hunter Following Snub appeared first on The SportsRush.

from The SportsRush https://ift.tt/stQ0f73

Charles Leclerc Excited for 22-Car Grids with Cadillac’s 2026 F1 Entry

The 2026 F1 season is set to feature an all-new challenge as Cadillac will join the sport as the 11th team on the grid. With only 10 having competed in F1 since 2017, most of the current drivers, including Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, have only competed in 20-car grids.

However, the increased competition that Leclerc will face from 2026 onwards doesn’t bother him. On the contrary, he is looking forward to Cadillac’s entry.

“As a driver, you’ve got to be happy knowing there are two more seats. It’s good for Formula 1, for young drivers, and for the show. It will be my first time racing with 22 cars on track and I think it’ll be fun,” Leclerc said to Ferrari.

Asked about Cadillac joining Formula 1 in 2026, Charles Leclerc said: “As a driver, you’ve got to be happy knowing there are two more seats.”

1/2

— Junaid #JB17 (@JunaidSamodien_) November 28, 2024

While this addition, announced by F1 earlier this week, could introduce an interesting dynamic for fans, the key question is whether it will be financially sustainable for the sport. Over the past two years, Formula One Management repeatedly rejected Andretti’s bid to join the grid, primarily citing concerns about the prize money, which would then need to be divided among 11 teams.

Guenther Steiner, who has the experience of managing a side that had a cash-strapped budget, explained the concerns that could arise with someone new joining.

“Just to have more teams, you need to share money with more people, which makes less for everybody. Then all of a sudden, even if you have 12 competitive teams, some will not end up with enough money and they will fall back. But then you have to keep these people around because they have the license because you cannot say you are not allowed,” the former Haas boss said on the ESPN unlapped podcast.

However, this concern could be alleviated by the payment of an anti-dilution fee, which, as outlined in the current Concorde Agreement, is a sum paid to compensate for the additional division of prize money. Cadillac reportedly paid $450 million, which Red Bull boss Helmut Marko stated wasn’t enough, since the existing teams had invested a lot more money over the years.

The post Charles Leclerc Excited for 22-Car Grids with Cadillac’s 2026 F1 Entry appeared first on The SportsRush.

from The SportsRush https://ift.tt/NrCMhSK

Why Haven’t the Lions and the Cowboys Ever Played Each Other on Thanksgiving?

The Detroit Lions and Dallas Cowboys have become Thanksgiving staples in the NFL. Since the mid-1900s, both franchises have played on Turkey Day. But would you believe that they have never actually played against each other?

It’s because both teams have consistently been excellent hosts on the fourth Thursday in November. However, if they were to face off, an extra slot would need to open up, which hasn’t worked well in the past when the league tried that approach.

The St. Louis Cardinals, who hosted games in 1975 and 1977, are one example. They lost both games, failing to meet revenue goals or generate the intended hype. Since then, Dallas and Detroit have always had their own games, and it’s unlikely to change anytime soon, even though the Lions’ performance on this day has often been subpar.

Lions’ record on Thanksgiving

In recent years, the Lions have struggled on Thanksgiving, currently boasting a seven-game losing streak since 2017. If we look at the all-time record, they have lost more than they’ve won, currently boasting a 37-45-2 record. It’s safe to say that luck is not on their side on Turkey Day.

However, Lions head coach Dan Campbell recognizes his team’s recent failures on this day and wants to turn it around. “We all want it, it’s long overdue,” Campbell said in a press conference, who has yet to win a Thanksgiving matchup since taking over in 2021.

The Lions, as a whole, have higher hopes than just a Thanksgiving Day victory, though. They are firmly entrenched as Super Bowl contenders this season, with a 10-1 record and sitting at the top of the NFC. Their goal this Thanksgiving is to win while ensuring everyone stays healthy for the final stretch before the playoffs.

Cowboys’ record on Thanksgiving

Dallas, on the other hand, has seen more success on Thanksgiving. With an all-time record of 33-22-1, it’s safe to say America’s Team loves to play on the holiday. Last season, they trounced the Washington Commanders 45-10 in the midst of a five-game winning streak.

The major difference between the Cowboys and the Lions is the opponent. The Lions have traditionally only played against the Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, and the Chicago Bears (who they play this Thanksgiving). The Cowboys, however, have matched up with 24 different teams since playing on Thanksgiving, with the Commanders being the most common opponent.

This year, though, the Cowboys will match up against the weak, struggling New York Giants. With injuries to both starting quarterbacks and a combined record of 6-16, fans everywhere will be fighting to stay awake during this game.

Why the Lions always play on Thanksgiving

We have to go all the way back to 1934 to learn why the Lions play every Thanksgiving. The Lions owner at the time, George Richards, wanted to attract more fans. The Detroit Tigers baseball team was the more popular of the franchises, and Richards thought playing on Thanksgiving would attract more heads. He was right, as the stadium sold out against the Bears, and ever since the Lions have made it a tradition.

The tradition extended to the Cowboys in 1966, when their owner at the time saw the same opportunity. It was a big risk to take on, especially since the Lions had already taken it upon themselves to own the day. But it paid off massively, as the Cowboys are the most profitable franchise in sports today.

In the future, we probably won’t ever see these two teams play against each other on Thanksgiving. The separate revenue streams they generate on the day extend to the opponent they play. Although, it would be a fun edition of the NFL on Thanksgiving that the league should look into.

The post Why Haven’t the Lions and the Cowboys Ever Played Each Other on Thanksgiving? appeared first on The SportsRush.

from The SportsRush https://ift.tt/14Yjb5I

Football Fantasy Advice: Start ’Em, Sit ’Em Special for NFL Thanksgiving Games

The NFL hasn’t provided us with the most exciting three-game slate for this year’s Thanksgiving. Thankfully, fantasy football doesn’t care about the quality of a matchup. We’re getting down to the final couple weeks of the fantasy football regular season. These Turkey Day games could have crucial fantasy ramifications.

Or perhaps you’re just looking for some guidance on how to pick your Thanksgiving Day lineup for a Daily Fantasy Sports game. Whatever your poison, we’ve got you covered.

Without further ado, here are the best fantasy starts, and sits, for the Detroit Lions vs. Chicago Bears matchup at 12:30 PM, the Dallas Cowboys vs. New York Giants clash at 4:30 PM, and the Green Bay Packers vs. Miami Dolphins tilt at 8:20 PM.

Best Thanksgiving QB Start: Caleb Williams, Chicago Bears

This one may come as a surprise to some, but Caleb Williams actually has the best matchup of any QB playing on Thanksgiving—and perhaps all week. The Lions have been dominant, but they’ve had trouble with their passing defense all season. They give up the 7th-most passing yards per game to QBs (242.5), and they’ll allow Williams some room to run as well.

While the Lions have been stingy when it comes to allowing TD passes, we believe they might struggle in that regard on Thursday. Rookie Terrion Arnold should be back in the lineup, but he’s still coming off a groin injury. More importantly, top cornerback Carlton Davis is in serious danger of missing the game, which would be a huge blow.

Honorable Mentions: Jared Goff (DET), Jordan Love (GB), Drew Lock (NYG)

Best Thanksgiving QB Sit: Tua Tagovailoa, Miami Dolphins

We all remember what happened to the Dolphins’ high-powered offense once winter hit in December last season. They faltered heavily in cold-weather games down the stretch. The most notable of these was a near-freezing playoff matchup with the Kansas City Chiefs. In that one, it was all too clear that these Miami-conditioned players weren’t comfortable in the cold.

It’s going to be -1 degrees Celsius tomorrow in Green Bay at one of the coldest outdoor venues in the league. That spells trouble for Tua Tagovailoa and the offense, especially considering that snow is expected as well. This unit is built to be quick and dynamic, not slog one out in frigid snowy temperatures. Expect the Dolphins offense, and by proxy Tagovailoa, to struggle at Lambeau Field. Green Bay only allows 13.4 fantasy points per game to QBs anyway, which is the 6th-fewest in the league.

Honorable Mentions: Cooper Rush (DAL)

Best Thanksgiving RB Start: Tyrone Tracy, New York Giants

Tyrone Tracy has been a godsend for the Giants. They allowed likely 2024 rushing king Saquon Barkley to depart in free agency, but the rookie has softened the blow. Tracy has gone for 100+ rushing yards in three of his last seven games.

He’s also been scoring a TD every other game for the last six weeks—and this week it’s TD time. Dallas is also giving up over 150 rushing yards per game, 2nd-most in the NFL, and they’re allowing backs to do it at 4.8 yards per clip, 4th-most in football. This is a dream matchup for Tracy and one that we expect him to grab with both hands.

Honorable Mention: Jahmyr Gibbs (DET), Josh Jacobs (GB)

Best Thanksgiving RB Sit: D’Andre Swift, Chicago Bears

There was no player in the league that had a more rough start to the 2024 season than D’Andre Swift, but he has since found his footing. However, we expect him to take a backseat in this one.

The Lions are top five in rush yards allowed per game and top 10 in yards allowed per rush, so the matchup is already tough. Add on the fact that the Bears are likely to be chasing this game for much of the afternoon, and it seems likely that Swift will see very few touches in MoTown.

Honorable Mention: De’Von Achane (MIA), Raheem Mostert (MIA)

Best Thanksgiving WR Start: Rome Odunze, Chicago Bears

While the Chicago running game is likely to be in the Detroit dungeons, they should be able to pass on the Lions’ leaky (and injured) secondary on Thursday afternoon. The Lions allow over 187 passing yards per game to WRs, which is 2nd-most in the NFL.

And without their top corner, it could get even worse for Detroit’s pass defense. Rome Odunze is one of many options for Caleb Williams, but the fellow rookie seems to have become the WR1 heading into this Thanksgiving game, as he’s logged 10 targets in back-to-back contests.

Honorable Mention: Malik Nabers (NYG), Amon-Ra St. Brown (DET)

Best Thanksgiving WR Sit: Jaylen Waddle, Miami Dolphins

Jaylen Waddle was drafted as a top-20 wideout in most fantasy football leagues this year, but he sits as the No. 44 WR after 12 weeks. That’s not all his fault, but that doesn’t really matter in fantasy football.

He’s been difficult to trust all year and with this matchup against a feisty Packers secondary in the cold Green Bay weather, we expect the speedster to be as close to a non-factor as there is on Thursday. Waddle had 144 yards last week, but that’s the only time he’s topped 60 since Week 1.

Honorable Mention: CeeDee Lamb (DAL), Any Packers WR

Best Thanksgiving TE Start: Jonnu Smith, Miami Dolphins

While the wideouts are not great options for fantasy this week, Miami tight end Jonnu Smith is quickly becoming a must-start candidate. He’s become Tagovailoa’s favorite passing game option over the last few weeks, much to Tyreek Hill’s chagrin.

But Smith hasn’t just been seeing targets, he’s been turning them into cold hard fantasy points. 68.90 fantasy points over the last four weeks, to be exact, which is 4th-best among his TE peers. The Packers defense they’re playing on Thanksgiving doesn’t have a lot of holes, but athletic TEs like Smith have been a bit of a kryptonite this year, as George Kittle showed last week.

Honorable Mention: Sam LaPorta (DET)

Best Thanksgiving TE Sit: Cole Kmet, Chicago Bears

While the Lions’ secondary has not been able to slow opposing wide receivers down, their linebackers have utterly and completely bottled up opposing tight ends.

They are allowing TEs just 3.55 fantasy points per game in standard scoring format, by far the fewest in the NFL. That’s a tough matchup for Cole Kmet, and while he did have one of his best games of the season last week, he hadn’t seen more than four targets for a month before that. Steer clear of this nightmare matchup on Thanksgiving morning.

Honorable Mention: Jake Ferguson (DAL)

The post Football Fantasy Advice: Start ’Em, Sit ’Em Special for NFL Thanksgiving Games appeared first on The SportsRush.

from The SportsRush https://ift.tt/PdZ5fwi

NFL Thanksgiving Games: Tex Schramm’s Risky Call In 1966 Turned Dallas Cowboys Into a Turkey Day Staple

For the past 100 years, the American Thanksgiving tradition has gone hand in hand with NFL football. The league has scheduled at least one game on Turkey Day every single year since 1920, with the notable exceptions of 1941-1944 during World War II. While their Thanksgiving traditions aren’t quite as long as the league’s, the Detroit Lions and Dallas Cowboys have also become synonymous with the holiday over the last half-century.

Detroit is one of the oldest franchises in football, and their Thanksgiving tradition stretches all the way back to 1934. Dallas, on the other hand, was an expansion team added to the fold in 1960. The Cowboys’ Thanksgiving ties don’t run as deep as Detroit’s, but they run far deeper than any of the other 30 teams.

Dallas’ Thanksgiving tradition began just a half dozen years into their existence, back in 1966. Unsurprisingly, the driving force was money. The Cowboys had been struggling under head coach Tom Landry (a future Hall of Famer), and general manager Tex Schramm wanted to boost the team in the national consciousness. He believed a game on Thanksgiving would help.

The league was apprehensive, even guaranteeing Dallas a share of the gate in case no one showed. It turns out there was nothing to worry about. The Cowboys won (against the Browns) in upset fashion in front of over 80,000 fans in attendance, which was a franchise record at the time.

Since that wildly successful inaugural Cowboys Thanksgiving game, they have played on Turkey Day every year with two exceptions. In 1975 and 1977, the league allowed the St. Louis Cardinals to play on Thanksgiving, hoping it would have the same impact for them as it did for Dallas. It did not, and the Cowboys returned to their familiar spot on Thanksgiving in 1978 and never looked back.

As has become customary, the Lions get the early 12:30 PM kickoff. The Cowboys are happy to take the later afternoon kickoff, generally at 4:30 PM nowadays. For decades that was the Thanksgiving schedule: Lions, then Cowboys. However, by 2006, the NFL wanted to increase its Thanksgiving Day profits, and so added a third game in the evening.

The Cowboys are hungry for more than just turkey this Thanksgiving

Dallas will be hoping that this familiar Turkey Day game can help jolt them back into relevance. They got a shock win against the Washington Commanders last week, but at 4-7, they’re in dire straits. Luckily for them, they have historically fared well on Thanksgiving, boasting a 33-22-1 record all-time.

They are also on a two-game winning streak on Thanksgiving, having snapped a three-game losing skid back in 2022 with a win over the New York Giants.

And who do they take on this Thanksgiving but those same Giants, who are one of the few teams one could say is in a worse situation than Dallas. They cut their $40 million QB, Daniel Jones, last week. Their replacement, Tommy DeVito, is now unsure to play on Thanksgiving after suffering an injury in last week’s heavy loss.

That means Drew Lock is likely to start against Dallas. That’s somewhat unlucky, as it could be argued that he was their best signal caller all along.

Both of these teams are essentially just playing for pride right now. While many have said they’re scheduling their Thanksgiving naps for this game’s 4:30 PM kickoff, we think it might be worth a watch. If Dallas can pull out a win and improve to 5-7, perhaps Dak Prescott will return before the season’s end.

That would be ideal, rather than the star QB being shut down for the rest of the year, which seems the likeliest scenario right now.

The post NFL Thanksgiving Games: Tex Schramm’s Risky Call In 1966 Turned Dallas Cowboys Into a Turkey Day Staple appeared first on The SportsRush.

from The SportsRush https://ift.tt/MbT2JZr

Flavio Briatore Has Become the Face of Alpine, Explains David Coulthard

The Alpine F1 team has been struggling, both on the track and behind the scenes in the past couple of seasons. The Enstone-based squad has struggled to maintain a steady leadership structure, with frequent changes in management creating confusion, which has also led to a noticeable dip in their performance.

In only its second year of rebranding from Renault to Alpine [2022], the team secured fourth place in the Constructors’ Championship. Fast forward to 2024, and they are now fighting just to hold onto seventh place and have become kind of a laughingstock in the F1 community.

Amid these struggles for Alpine, Flavio Briatore re-entered the F1 world, taking on the role of Executive Advisor for the Enstone squad. Despite his controversial past, former F1 driver David Coulthard believes that Briatore’s presence is exactly what Alpine needed.

Former team boss Flavio Briatore is returning to Alpine after being appointed as the outfit’s executive advisor pic.twitter.com/ARQBXaSg8f

— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) June 21, 2024

In a conversation on the Drive to Wynn podcast with former 24 Hours of Le Mans winner Justin Bell, Coulthard shared his thoughts on Briatore’s return. “Now that Flavio’s back, it feels that there is a public-facing person, where they were kind of faceless for a while,” the Briton explained.

“It was quite difficult to know, well, who’s in control, who’s leading the team?” Coulthard highlighted how F1 teams need “strong personalities” in leadership positions to take responsibility for the smooth running and the failures of the team. He mentioned that while Briatore has a controversial past, he knows how to “get things done”.

Alpine’s recent improved form including its double podium in Brazil has been a cascading effect of Briatore’s changes behind the scenes with the signing of Oliver Oakes as the team principal. The technical brains of David Sanchez have also helped them make a decent step forward. But Briatore’s past is still a blot that the Italian cannot leave behind.

Briatore’s controversial re-entry into F1

While Briatore’s return has definitely had an immediate impact on Alpine’s overall performance in 2024, it wasn’t without people talking about his controversial past in the sport.

Many still associate him with the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix scandal, where the Italian was found guilty of orchestrating a crash to manipulate the race outcome. Although he was handed a lifetime ban from F1 in 2009, this decision was overturned on appeal in 2013.

️| Felipe Massa says that it wasn’t Saõ Paulo, but Singapore (Crashgate), that cost him the championship in 2008.

“What happened there is unacceptable. It can be compared to a football referee who is paid by a team. If that happens, the other team will sue.” pic.twitter.com/uzNgARcopW

— Ferrari News (@FanaticsFerrari) November 9, 2022

His latest involvement with Alpine marks his first official role in the sport since the scandal. However, Alpine and other F1 teams have downplayed the controversy, insisting that “Crashgate” is a thing of the past.

The post Flavio Briatore Has Become the Face of Alpine, Explains David Coulthard appeared first on The SportsRush.

from The SportsRush https://ift.tt/8rRGkiA

“Max Verstappen Has Picked Up Where Michael Schumacher Left Off”: David Coulthard

When Max Verstappen was coasting to victories and championships in 2022 and 2023, questions arose over whether he could win without a dominant car. Verstappen answered those questions with his title win in 2024, driving a slower Red Bull to shut down all doubts. In awe of his driving, David Coulthard compared the Dutchman to seven-time World Champion Michael Schumacher.

Coulthard first stated that Verstappen is setting the benchmark for F1 dominance today, much like Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton did in the 2000s and 2010s, respectively. However, he contrasted this by noting that Hamilton avoided much of the controversy that surrounded both Schumacher and Verstappen’s championship wins.

“He [Max Verstappen] has picked up where Michael [Schumacher] left off in that era,” said Coulthard on the Drive to Wynn podcast. “I think Max is more of a Michael-type racer, where Lewis does the winning in a less controversial way,” the ex-Red Bull driver added.

One couldn’t blame Coulthard for his comparison since both Verstappen and Schumacher’s maiden titles came under controversial circumstances. The German, driving for Benetton in 1994 sealed the deal by colliding into Damon Hill in the season finale, which may feel was intentional.

Meanwhile, Verstappen’s 2021 title triumph will always be marred by the awful safety car fiasco that unfolded in the final few laps of the Abu Dhabi GP. The dominance that he showcased in 2022 and 2023 can be matched with how Schumacher dominated with Ferrari during the 2000 to 2004 period.

So, in a way, the similarities in their racecraft and driving style have also transcended in the way they achieved their championship success.

Similarities between Verstappen and Schumacher

Several experts have compared Verstappen and Schumacher’s driving style and what has made them stand out relative to others on the grid. One such comparison was about how they take a different racing line through a corner to optimize their speed and gain time.

Former racer Scott Mansell once reviewed on his YouTube channel how Schumacher used to take a wider V-shaped racing line to brake late into the corner but have enough grip to get on the throttle earlier than other drivers.

Verstappen also executes a similar maneuver that gains him time, whether it’s half a tenth or so, but that could prove critical throughout a 50-lap Grand Prix.

Max Verstappen and Michael Schumacher. Via Reddit. pic.twitter.com/KpJtvapt8M

— Demetriou Neto (@NetoDemetriou) November 17, 2024

Former F1 driver Karun Chandhok also highlighted a similar trend between Verstappen and Schumacher. He stated that the Dutchman hits the corner at an optimal speed just like the Ferrari legend. “When Verstappen is at the apex, he can let go of the steering a little.”, Chandhok wrote in a column on Motorsport.

This helps him manage his tires better by putting less lateral load on them through a corner. Taking that wider line, using all the track space while getting on the throttle earlier, is not a maneuver that all drivers can pull off, which is where Verstappen and Schumacher’s innate skill becomes distinctive.

The post “Max Verstappen Has Picked Up Where Michael Schumacher Left Off”: David Coulthard appeared first on The SportsRush.

from The SportsRush https://ift.tt/gDyPekt

David Coulthard Labels Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari Move as ‘Brilliant Business Decision’

Many believed Lewis Hamilton would finish his F1 career with Mercedes—until February 1, 2024, when the bombshell news broke of his move from Brackley to Maranello. Hamilton joining Ferrari is significant from both sporting and commercial perspectives. In addition to chasing his record eighth World Title, he will receive a massive paycheck ($100 million a year) and have opportunities to expand his off-track business ventures.

David Coulthard talked about this while putting forth his opinion of how Hamilton would adjust to life at Ferrari. On the Drive to Wynn podcast, Coulthard said, “Brilliant business decision for Lewis. Not that it’s about the money. I am curious to see if he makes it work.”

BREAKING: Lewis Hamilton to join Ferrari in 2025!#F1 @LewisHamilton @ScuderiaFerrari pic.twitter.com/M5QrB5pM8G

— Formula 1 (@F1) February 1, 2024

The former McLaren driver talked about how he did not see Hamilton leaving Mercedes like most. He went on to compare the Briton’s Ferrari move to Michael Schumacher’s return to F1 with Mercedes in 2010.

Back then, even that was a shock given Schumacher’s integral relationship with the Prancing Horse. After his first retirement in 2006, the German had ties with Ferrari as a consultant and ambassador. Coulthard felt he would be selling the Italian brand’s cars and be their face — which was also an assumption around Mercedes and Hamilton.

However, the #44 driver sought a new challenge amid Mercedes’ struggles since the start of the ground effect era in 2022. Ferrari’s resurgence during the same period was striking, and the team had long coveted signing Hamilton.

The contractual negotiations also aligned perfectly, with a hefty salary and additional commitments securing what was arguably the biggest driver transfer in F1 history.

Hamilton to Ferrari’s commercial potential

A move of this magnitude naturally attracts significant sponsorship and commercial opportunities, with F1’s most successful driver teaming up with its most prestigious constructor. Reports suggest that a few Mercedes sponsors, including Monster and Tommy Hilfiger, are set to follow Hamilton to Ferrari.

Additionally, Hamilton’s off-track ventures, such as Almave and Neat Burger, could leverage Ferrari’s brand power by sponsoring the team and gaining visibility in F1. Whether this poses a conflict of interest depends entirely on the flexibility outlined in Hamilton and Ferrari’s contractual agreement.

Lewis Hamilton could sponsor Ferrari via his non-alcoholic tequila brand in 2025.https://t.co/7SpCxyFz1H

— PlanetF1 (@Planet_F1) November 20, 2024

However, Ferrari chairman John Elkann has repeatedly committed to supporting Hamilton’s Mission 44 foundation and his other philanthropic efforts. As a result, the Italian team could also incorporate his entrepreneurial ventures if it proves beneficial for both parties from a commercial standpoint.

The post David Coulthard Labels Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari Move as ‘Brilliant Business Decision’ appeared first on The SportsRush.

from The SportsRush https://ift.tt/aOvsdjt

Valtteri Bottas Would be ‘Grateful’ to Mercedes if Reserve Role Is Offered

Valtteri Bottas, an ever-present figure in the F1 paddock since 2013, does not have a seat for the upcoming season. Sauber — soon to become Audi — has opted for a new driver pairing (Nico Hulkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto), and no other team on the grid has an opening.

Bottas now faces two options: leave F1 behind and pursue success in other ventures, or remain on the periphery of the sport and hope for a new opportunity. The Finn is likely to choose the latter.

Bottas has spoken about making a return to Mercedes several times since his Sauber exit was confirmed. He achieved a lot of success with the Silver Arrows, winning 10 races and guiding them to five consecutive Constructors’ Championship wins.

Of course, even if he does manage to end up at Brackley once again in Mercedes colors, it cannot be in a full-time race seat. The German team already has a pairing of George Russell and Kimi Antonelli confirmed for 2025, which means that Bottas would only be considered in a reserve role. He has no problem with that.

Bottas: “For me, that’s a solid option. And I’m grateful that they would be willing to give me the role.”

2/2 https://t.co/wBvTAwTp6l

— Junaid #JB17 (@JunaidSamodien_) November 25, 2024

“For me, that’s a solid option. And I’m grateful that they would be willing to give me the role,” the 35-year-old said ahead of his penultimate race with Sauber.

Another thing Bottas has in mind is the future. He may not have a place for him next year, but being around Mercedes and the well-connected Toto Wolff could present him with opportunities in F1 in the coming years. “Mercedes is a great team and you can build up a lot of opportunities for the future.”

Bottas confident of his abilities

2024 has been difficult for Bottas. But not because his driving has been bad. Sauber mainly developed a woeful package, that has left them lingering in the bottom of the Championship standings with zero points. With two races to go, the situation looks unlikely to change.

Bottas, however, has insisted that his driving is still top-notch. Sadly, the mechanical limitations of the Sauber C44 have not allowed him to project that, and help him materialize his good performances into favorable results.

BREAKING: Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu will leave Kick Sauber at the end of the 2024 season#F1 pic.twitter.com/BnZzXGDd6G

— Formula 1 (@F1) November 6, 2024

Right now, the road back to F1 looks long for the 10-time Grand Prix winner. However, with the sport’s volatility, particularly during the unpredictable silly season, Bottas could find that path opening up sooner than expected.

All he needs to do is stay connected to the sport, and any team with an available slot would likely jump at the chance to bring someone as experienced as him on board.

The post Valtteri Bottas Would be ‘Grateful’ to Mercedes if Reserve Role Is Offered appeared first on The SportsRush.

from The SportsRush https://ift.tt/oXjkAB7

Chiefs’ Center Creed Humphrey Breaks His 11-Week-Long Pregame Superstition After Losing to the Bills

The Kansas City Chiefs’ undefeated streak was broken last Monday when the Bills defeated them 30-21. While this might not seem significant, considering the defending champs are atop the AFC West with a 9-1 record, much to fans’ dismay, this loss led Creed Humphrey to abandon his t-shirt superstition.

The star center has been reusing his black t-shirt week in and week out. During the season opener, it bore no customization, featuring text that read, “This is my shirt for the Ravens’ game.” Following that week, Humphrey began taping over the opposing team’s name and writing the name of that week’s opponent with a sharpie.

For example, if the Chiefs were facing the Bengals, the center would replace the text Ravens’, with Bengals’. However, ahead of the matchup against the Panthers, Humphrey was no longer wearing his black t-shirt with duct tape text over it.

Humphrey swapped his good luck charm t-shirt for a pink shirt over a white t-shirt as he arrived in Carolina. Brad Henson Productions posted a photograph of the center on X with the caption: “End of an era. Creed Humphrey is not wearing a duct tape shirt anymore. Say it ain’t so?”

The Chiefs Kingdom quickly reacted to Humphrey’s updated wardrobe. Some internet users even grieved the end of the fun trend and the Chiefs’ winning streak. Others, meanwhile, were still expecting to see the duct tape shirt make a comeback. A few also found humor in the situation, with one joking that Humphrey’s wife must have finally taken the shirt for a wash.

Streak broke, gotta change up now

— Fireball (@Firebaugh2k) November 24, 2024

We lost last week so it wasn’t good charm anymore

— DK7 (@kaposi_david) November 24, 2024

Well it’s not game day…will see tomorrow.

— Michelle Ehrhorn CHIEFS ARE WORLD CHAMPIONS!!! (@MichelleEhrhorn) November 24, 2024

his wife probably took it away and washed it

— MalianLovesYou (@MalianLovesYou) November 24, 2024

While the Chiefs suffered a disappointing loss at the hands of Josh Allen’s crew, Humphrey held his own. The center was graded the highest among the Chiefs by PFF in the matchup, earning a score of 85.9. As the centerpiece of the offensive line, he played a crucial role in halting the Bills’ formidable pass rush.

Cornerback Trent McDuffie followed Humphrey in Week 11 with a grade of 80.9, while Patrick Mahomes ranked third with a grade of 74.0.

The highest-graded Chiefs in Week 11 vs the Bills:

Creed Humphrey – 85.9
Trent McDuffie – 80.9
Patrick Mahomes – 74.0
DeAndre Hopkins – 73.6
Mike Danna – 73.1

(min. 25 snaps) pic.twitter.com/zoLWVHLTCo

— PFF KC Chiefs (@PFF_Chiefs) November 18, 2024

It will be interesting to see if Creed Humphrey continues his duct-tape t-shirt trend after the Chiefs snag another win. They are set to face the Panthers at the Bank of America Stadium.

The post Chiefs’ Center Creed Humphrey Breaks His 11-Week-Long Pregame Superstition After Losing to the Bills appeared first on The SportsRush.

from The SportsRush https://ift.tt/3CZ0SOi

Joel Embiid Hasn’t Been a Pro, Nikola Jokic and Jayson Tatum Are Better Than Him: Former New York Knicks Guard

The vibes in Philadelphia are awful. The 76ers are 3-12, and Paul George is injured again. Joel Embiid has played only four games and has looked sluggish. He was called out by teammate Tyrese Maxey for his tardiness in a players-only meeting. The team touted to be title contenders before the season commenced now finds itself fighting for a play-in spot. In Greg Anthony’s estimation, the blame for their horrendous start to the season falls squarely on Embiid’s shoulders.

In a conversation with Stephen A. Smith, the former Knicks star flamed the 76ers superstar and claimed his lackadaisical attitude is holding the team back from reaching its full potential. Anthony argued that players in Embiid’s position lead by example. However, he believes the former MVP is nowhere close to being a reliable player, let alone a competent leader. Anthony said,

“If what we’re hearing [about Embiid’s unpunctuality] is true, then that means he hasn’t been a pro. Because there’s just no excuse for you being late to everything… Generally your best players are your hardest workers. If you go to Boston, they’ll all tell you [Jayson] Tatum and [Jaylen] Brown are the hardest workers… That’s the formula for a championship-level team. You don’t think [Nikola] Jokic is the hardest worker in Denver?”

He added that the little to no pushback on the allegations levied on Embiid suggests he’s guilty. Anthony concluded that the 76ers’ championship aspirations are a fantasy and they wouldn’t even make it to the play-in tournament at the end of the season.

His ominous prediction sounds preposterous considering how weak the Eastern Conference is and how talented the 76ers are. However, he isn’t the only ex-NBA star convinced that Philadelphia won’t be in the playoffs.

Chandler Parsons and Lou Williams call time of death on the 76ers’ season

On the Run It Back podcast, Chandler Parsons and Lou Williams gave a damning verdict on the 76ers’ championship aspirations. The latter claimed that Embiid and George’s persistent injury issues would ensure the team never competes for the title. He said,

“I don’t think they are healthy enough. I don’t think the chemistry is there. They just haven’t had a realistic shot of building in the direction they would like to build in.”

"It's a wrap for the 76ers this year." – @ChandlerParsons

"The wheels are falling off of this thing very early on in this season." – @TeamLou23

Is it time for Joel Embiid and the 76ers to wave this season's white flag?

https://t.co/Xoawt9CkOK pic.twitter.com/GbzuhrUY4K

— Run It Back (@RunItBackFDTV) November 19, 2024

While the former Clippers star was slightly subdued in his criticism of the 76ers, Parsons did not mince words. He claimed that the roster is so dysfunctional, that it’d be better if they went back to their roots, restarted “the process,” and tried to land Cooper Flagg. The former Rockets star said,

“[The Sixers are] just wasting [their] year, just ruining [their draft] pick. Why even contend and have a play-in and get a middle-of-the-pack pick next year? You need to be healthy and it starts with Joel Embiid. And he’s not [healthy]…They need to pull the plug.”

The 2024-25 season was supposed to be the year the 76ers completed their quest to win the NBA title. Instead, 15 games in, analysts are predicting the worst possible outcomes for the team, and an empty postseason, which was unfathomable in the summer, is now Philadelphia’s reality.

The post Joel Embiid Hasn’t Been a Pro, Nikola Jokic and Jayson Tatum Are Better Than Him: Former New York Knicks Guard appeared first on The SportsRush.

from The SportsRush https://ift.tt/xqv269R

Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and James Harden’s Nets Get Labelled “Basketball Tragedy” by ESPN Insider

The Brooklyn Nets’ super team of Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and James Harden was supposed to conquer the NBA. They believed they’d be getting a team that would compare to the 96 Bulls or the 2016 Warriors. Unfortunately, the truth was much harsher than that.

The team wasn’t a colossal failure. Sure, they never won a title, but they came close, losing in the 2021 Eastern Conference Semi-Finals. But it was all downhill after that. Irving was banned from playing in New York because of his stance on COVID-19 vaccines. KD was injured for a while, and Harden wanted out after not getting to play with his two mates.

ESPN Insider Brian Windhorst discussed how bad that time was for the team, calling it a “basketball tragedy.” He appeared on the Stephen A. Smith Show and was asked if the Nets would perform any differently with Kenny Atkinson at the helm, instead of Steve Nash.

Atkinson was the Nets’ head coach when KD joined, but his injury meant the two-time FMVP never played under him. Nash was hired the year KD returned. Stephen A. wanted to know if, in Windy’s expert opinion, the Nets would have performed better had KD been healthy under Atkinson.

“The James Harden, Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving failure is what I have called a basketball tragedy. It’s not a real life tragedy, it’s not life and death, but from a basketball standpoint, those three guys getting together on the same team, in one of the major markets, should’ve produced championships, at least one. And the fact that not only did they not, but they were largely a failure because they couldn’t even play together, is a basketball tragedy.”

Windy’s main argument was that the star trio lacked playing time together.

Brooklyn Nets’ abysmal Big 3

The Nets signed Kyrie in 2019 and acquired KD shortly after. Harden would join them in January 2021. Over the one season they spent together (they broke up in 2022) the duo played only 16 games together. The reasons were plenty- injuries to Durant and Harden, Irving’s stance on the COVID vaccine, and a general lack of chemistry between the stars.

In February 2022, a little over a year after joining them, Harden wanted out. He wasn’t getting to play with Durant and Irving, and results weren’t going his way. The Brooklyn Nets’ dream lasted one year and one month. In the end, fans and experts will consider it one of the worst super teams formed.

The post Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and James Harden’s Nets Get Labelled “Basketball Tragedy” by ESPN Insider appeared first on The SportsRush.

from The SportsRush https://ift.tt/sbkC1Gx

‘Michael Jordan Wouldn’t Even Shake My Hand’: Alonzo Mourning Confides In Shaquille O’Neal Over The Death Of NBA Rivalries

A major gripe that the older generation of NBA players has with the current landscape is that everybody’s too friendly with one another. After all, the ’80s and the ’90s were famous for some of the most bitter rivalries the NBA has ever seen. Magic v Bird, Isiah v Jordan, Jordan v Ewing, they had it all. Alonzo Mourning revealed that the desire to get one over on others ran so deep that Michael Jordan wouldn’t even shake his hand before games, something that players usually do as a sign of respect to each other.

On Shaquille O’Neal’s ‘Big Podcast’, Zo recalled how in the playoff series he played against the Chicago Bulls Jordan and Scottie Pippen would refuse to acknowledge him before the jump ball. He said players would usually just shake hands or bump fists, and not hug like the current players.

“Scottie and Michael wouldn’t even shake my hands at jump ball. They refused. They looked at me and I went in and they walked away. So now everybody’s hugging, Kumbaya, ‘Hey man, good to see you’ and all that. We didn’t do all that. It was a fist bump and keep it moving.”

In a way, the league has lost part of its marketability because of the lack of a clear on-court rivalry. The ’80s were hugely successful for the NBA as they were able to build storylines off the rivalries that they had. Because of the anticipation of seeing two players with intense on-court distaste for one another, fans would tune in by the million.

People claim to this day that the fierce competition and the rivalries were what made them fans in the first place. Furthermore, the new direction that the players have taken is not something they enjoy seeing.

Nobody did rivalries like the NBA in the ’90s

The rivalry between MJ’s Bulls and Ewing’s Knicks in the late 1990s was very well documented. While the duo and many of their teammates would regularly eat dinner together, Michael Jordan once claimed that it didn’t stop them from competing on court.

He used Charles Oakley as an example and said, “I actually do like them. Oakely almost tried to take my head off every time we played, and we’d go get dinner afterward.”

Even this simple interview reiterates Mourning’s point about rivalries.

The fact that players in the ’90s were able to compete with each other fiercely on the court and still stay friends off it was what made that era of basketball truly special, and what most fans believe is missing in today’s game.

The post ‘Michael Jordan Wouldn’t Even Shake My Hand’: Alonzo Mourning Confides In Shaquille O’Neal Over The Death Of NBA Rivalries appeared first on The SportsRush.

from The SportsRush https://ift.tt/w6rNBVF

Can Anthony Edwards Break Stephen Curry’s Three-Point Record?

Anthony Edwards, 23, is by far the most talented and skilled among his peers. The two-time All-Star is already touted to replace LeBron James and Stephen Curry as the future “face of the NBA”. His numbers are improving with each passing year and the Minnesota Timberwolves had enough faith in his ability to be the team’s offensive lynchpin that they retained him while parting ways with Karl Anthony-Towns. And Edwards is repaying that trust by posting some big numbers including from beyond the arc. Is Curry’s three-point record Edwards-proof ?

Karl’s exit has given Edwards a free rein on offense, and he’s putting it to good use. He’s averaging a career-high 27.9 points on 20.9 shots per game. And, nearly 55% of his shot attempts have been three-points, which was not the case in the years past. The guard is attempting 11.1 three-pointers on average, comfortably beating his previous career-high of 8.4.

While a steep increase in three-point attempts usually leads to a drop in conversion rate, that hasn’t been the case with Edwards. On the contrary, he has become more efficient, landing 43.1% of his shots, a career-best mark.

To contextualize how incredible the Timberwolves star has been as a three-point shooter: among players averaging at least eight three-point attempts, only Tyler Herro (45.2), Buddy Hield (45.1), and Stephen Curry (44.1) have a better conversion rate.

In that subset of elite shooters, only Curry is averaging over nine three-point attempts per game. To match the greatest shooter in NBA history in attempts is already an incredible achievement.

Curry and Edwards’ three-point numbers after five years

Five years into his NBA career, Curry had made 905 three-pointers. However, he averaged only 4.7 attempts per game in his first three years in the league, and he played only 26 games in his third season due to a recurring ankle issue.

His attempts ballooned up to 7.8 per game in his fourth and fifth campaigns, and his shooting feats in those two years cemented his status as the best three-point shooter in the league.

Fifteen games into his fifth season in the NBA, Edwards has 861 three-pointers. Provided he stays healthy, he’ll not only surpass Curry’s five-year tally but will also likely break the 1,110 mark this campaign.

So, five years in, the Timberwolves star is ahead of schedule. However, the race is a marathon and not a sprint.

What Edwards will have to do to keep up with Curry

When Steve Kerr was appointed as the Golden State Warriors’ head coach in 2014, his first order of business was to give Curry the pass to shoot threes on sight. The guard obliged and his numbers rocketed. Under the former Chicago Bulls guard, the two-time MVP has 10.9 attempts per game from beyond the arc and banks 4.6 on average.

At the time of writing this article, Curry had converted 2,887 three-point attempts since Kerr took over as the Warriors’ head coach. That on its own would rank third all-time behind James Harden (2,980 and counting) and Ray Allen (2973). Adding the 905 he banked in his first five years, his career total now stands at 3,792.

To catch up to that number, Edwards would need around eight years, provided he not only maintains his incredible 4.8 conversions per game but also averages 79 games per season, just like in the past two years. However, Curry is far from done. Assuming he sees out his current contract, which is set to expire in 2027, and retires, he’d likely have over 4,800 three-pointers.

That would mean the Timberwolves guard would need well more than a decade to catch up to the Warriors icon.

Will Edwards retire as the most prolific three-point shooter?

Theoretically, the three-point record is within Edwards’ reach. Practically, it is highly unlikely.

Edwards has started this season hot as a three-point shooter. But history suggests he’ll cool off. Even if he doesn’t, he would have to average four three-pointers per game for 12.6 years to catch up to Curry if he finishes his career with around 4,800.

No player in NBA history, including the four-time NBA champion, has been as prolific. It remains to be seen whether the Timberwolves superstar can sustain his current form for the entire season. If he does, he’d have to do it for 12 more seasons to dethrone Curry as the undisputed king of three-pointers, assuming the two-time MVP calls it a day in 2027.

The post Can Anthony Edwards Break Stephen Curry’s Three-Point Record? appeared first on The SportsRush.

from The SportsRush https://ift.tt/MORjFBU

“We Are Still Not the Fastest”: Max Verstappen Remains Cautious Ahead of Las Vegas GP Despite Gaining Comfortable Lead in Brazil

Max Verstappen already seems to have one hand on the Drivers’ Championship this season as he has a 62-point lead over title rival Lando Norris. Despite such a healthy advantage with just three Grand Prix weekends remaining, he is not happy. For him, winning a fourth championship is not enough; he wants to win every race — which is the kind of attitude that has helped him already clinch three titles and over 60 victories at the age of 27.

“The pressure is that I want to be good every weekend. It’s not necessarily about the title,” he said in an interview with Motorsport Total.

He added that while he currently finds himself in a brilliant position to win the championship this season, he is not optimistic about his chances of winning this weekend’s Las Vegas Grand Prix. For him, “We (Red Bull) are still not the fastest”.

https://t.co/wBvTAwTp6l [Ticker] – Max Verstappen is on the verge of winning a 4th title in Las Vegas, but he says that the pressure has not gone away after victory in Brazil, because for him it is not just about the title: “The pressure is that I want to be good every weekend.” pic.twitter.com/CZ7usxCzoq

— Junaid #JB17 (@JunaidSamodien_) November 21, 2024

Such has been the predicament that Verstappen and Red Bull have found themselves in for most of the 2024 season. Yet, the Dutchman has done brilliantly to limit the damage.

At times, he has even stunned everyone by putting in some masterful drives, as he did in the Sao Paulo GP when he won despite starting 17th on the grid. With the 27-year-old winning the race in Brazil, all he needs is 24 points more to win his fourth championship.

Ferrari can help Verstappen seal his fourth title

With Verstappen admitting that he is unlikely to be in the hunt for the win at this weekend’s Las Vegas GP, the fight is likely to be between the two McLarens and the two Ferraris — two teams that are fighting to win their first Constructors’ Championship.

McLaren may have had the fastest car for most of the 2024 campaign, but Ferrari are likely to have the advantage in Las Vegas. Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz has already issued a warning to McLaren, stating that the Las Vegas circuit is more suited to his side than the Woking-based outfit.

While the Spaniard is still wary of the colder temperatures in Vegas which may limit their performance, the Italian outfit seems to be the favorite as even McLaren bosses have claimed so ahead of the race weekend.

So, if Sainz and Ferrari can utilize the characteristics of this track to their advantage, then they will not only boost their chances of winning the Constructors’ title but will inadvertently also help Verstappen by taking points off Norris.

The post “We Are Still Not the Fastest”: Max Verstappen Remains Cautious Ahead of Las Vegas GP Despite Gaining Comfortable Lead in Brazil appeared first on The SportsRush.

from The SportsRush https://ift.tt/przWefi

Stephen Curry’s Wife Ayesha Confesses “Mild-Tempered Sweet Little Baby” Made Having 4th Child Breezy

On May 11, 2024, Stephen and Ayesha Curry welcomed their fourth child, Caius, into the family. To an outsider, adding a fourth child may seem chaotic, but that hasn’t been the case for the Currys. Following their first three kids, the couple “lucked out” with the behavior of their fourth.

Ayesha sat down with Us Weekly for an interview in which she discussed the Curry family dynamics. She revealed that the addition of a fourth child hasn’t been as difficult as imagined. She said,

“I think 2-3 was a little chaotic for us and the 3-4 has been pretty breezy. But we lucked out and we have a very mild-tempered, sweet little baby, so we’re grateful for him.”

Unlike Steph’s fourth championship, which was the most difficult, raising his fourth child has been the easiest experience yet. Ayesha and Steph have experience as parents raising Riley (12), Ryan (9), and Canon (6).

Raising four children is tough, but Caius’ personality has made it much easier for the Curry family. Steph is in the middle of the NBA season, which means Ayesha is spending most of her time watching over the children. Furthermore, their experience raising three children made it easier to balance.

The Curry family celebrated their special baby by giving him an exceptional name, Caius. Although he isn’t aware of its meaning, his nature as a person perfectly reflects it.

The meaning of Caius’ name

The Curry’s are meticulous in the name selection of their children specifically with their sons. The eldest son Canon’s name is French and means young wolf. The reasoning for this is that the Curry’s consider themselves a “wolf pack”.

Ayesha and Steph believed their next child’s name needed to hold meaning as well. Caius derives from the Latin term Caius which means ‘glad’, ‘rejoice’, ‘pleased’, or ‘delight’.

It is very fitting that the Curry’s gave him this name since his attitude as a child reflects the meaning wholeheartedly.

The star parents maintain a healthy level of privacy from the public eye regarding their children. As Caius continues to grow, Ayesha and Steph are bound to share more details about him, similar to how they have with their other children.

The post Stephen Curry’s Wife Ayesha Confesses “Mild-Tempered Sweet Little Baby” Made Having 4th Child Breezy appeared first on The SportsRush.

from The SportsRush https://ift.tt/dWZNYoP

Lewis Hamilton Came to Terms With His Mercedes Exit 13 Days After Official Announcement

Lewis Hamilton’s move to Ferrari was a seismic shock to the F1 world because the majority had expected the 39-year-old to end his F1 career with Mercedes, whom he joined in 2013. Perhaps frustrated by the Silver Arrows’ mechanical woes, Hamilton made the tough call to jump ship in 2025. However, his decision did not sink in immediately.

It took Hamilton 13 days to finally come to terms that he would be leaving his beloved Mercedes team and embarking on a new challenge, as revealed by Matt Whyman, author of Inside Mercedes F1.

In a conversation with talkSPORT, he reflected on what Hamilton went through following the announcement of his move to Ferrari. The rumors had intensified in January 2024, and by February, the bombshell had officially dropped.

BREAKING: Lewis Hamilton to join Ferrari in 2025!#F1 @LewisHamilton @ScuderiaFerrari pic.twitter.com/M5QrB5pM8G

— Formula 1 (@F1) February 1, 2024

Whyman revealed that while Hamilton addressed his departure almost immediately on February 1, it was during the W15 launch event that he fully grasped it would be his final season with Mercedes.

“I know Lewis said that it dawned on him after the shakedown when we all got to see this year’s car at Silverstone. It dawned on him that it was the last time he was going to be doing that for Mercedes.”, Whyman said.

Still, the professional that he is, Hamilton claimed he would remain as committed as ever to Mercedes—and he has kept that promise. Despite the W15 being unstable and inconsistent, he has delivered his best for most of the season. However, in recent weeks, his motivation seemed to be waning.

Has Hamilton given up on Mercedes?

Whyman, who had behind-the-scenes access to Mercedes in 2024, revealed that during his conversation with Hamilton, the driver showed no signs of being finished with the team.

“The last time I saw him and spoke to him, it was all about Mercedes. There was no sense that he had checked out, as you might expect if someone hands in a notice at work. I don’t think he was in a position to do that,” he said.

Whyman added that the Briton wouldn’t be content to simply take a back seat at the team and coast through his final days at Mercedes. He remains as hungry as ever to fight for top positions, with his two race wins this season serving as a testament to his commitment.

However, that same commitment and dedication appears to be on shaky ground, with Hamilton recently labeling the W15 as the “worst car” he has ever driven. This sentiment may also stem from Mercedes potentially sidelining him in key meetings about future development.

Despite his desire to end his Mercedes chapter on a high note, Hamilton’s hopes now seem increasingly futile, given the car’s challenging and inconsistent performance.

The post Lewis Hamilton Came to Terms With His Mercedes Exit 13 Days After Official Announcement appeared first on The SportsRush.

from The SportsRush https://ift.tt/OM5zFcy

Not the Cowboys But an AFC Team Appears As a Perfect Landing Spot For Bill Belichick

It’s the first time the NFL’s most winningest coach is without a team, but that might change next season. Bill Belichick parted ways with the New England Patriots after 24 seasons, having won six Super Bowl titles. Not even a year goes by and the 72-year-old is already eager to return to the league.

While many proposed the Cowboys as a perfect destination for Belichick. However, there was just one problem. The former Patriots coach is known to control the team from both aspects, the HC and the GM. However, the Dallas owner likes to hold the position of general manager in his own hand which might not work with Belichick.

The Jacksonville Jaguars, on the other hand, stand in an interesting predicament. After their embarrassing 52-6 defeat at the hands of the Lions, calls for firing Doug Pederson have been getting stronger. On top of that, even GM Trent Baalke’s future seems uncertain going forward. As the Jaguars enter the bye week, many fans and analysts are expecting some crucial changes in their management.

Diana Russini further reported that owner Shad Khan is not contemplating pairing up Belichick with Baalke, hinting that the HC might return to his former dual role. She had further reported that while “coaching is in [Belichick’s] blood” and wants to return to football, there might be one condition. The 72-year-old wants “as much authority as he can get” in his future role.

As we wait to find out what the Jaguars do next, keep in mind Bill Belichick wants to be a head coach again and the Jaguars should be viewed as a potential destination.
I’m told it’s highly unlikely that a partnership with GM Trent Baalke would take place, per sources.

— Dianna Russini (@DMRussini) November 18, 2024

Jacksonville is off to a terrible season with a record of 2-9 with fingers pointing at the head coach and general manager. Their latest humiliating 52-6 defeat at the hands of the Lions has only added fuel to the fire and made the voices for a coaching change louder.

Bill Belichick in the Jacksonville Jaguars

Fans had a volatile reaction to Russini’s suggestion of the Jaguars being Belichick‘s return to football. While some internet users felt that the firing of Pederson and Baalke was way overdue, the consensus was against Belichick for reasons ranging from his poor performance without Brady to the legendary coach being too good for Jacksonville.

They should fire both Baalke and Pederson

— MANI HOUSE AFRICA (@ManiHousePTY) November 18, 2024

He should go somewhere better

— Chloe (@ChloesPlanet) November 18, 2024

Hell no, look at his record without Tom Brady, hell no

— Clarence McKimmy (@machd2013) November 18, 2024

Please I want somebody new and hungry. Let’s stir the pot of professional head coaches. Don’t give me the goat of coaches, make him GM or EVP. Bill was 7-9, 10-7, 8-9, and 4-13 in his final 4 seasons.

— Ayoan (@Onponmon904) November 18, 2024

While Bill Belichick taking the HC-cum-GM position remains uncertain, next year is bound to bring some big changes in Jacksonville. Projected to hold the top pick in the 2025 Draft, the franchise would have stars like Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter on the table. As for now, the team would have another chance at redemption on Dec 1 against the Houston Texans.

The post Not the Cowboys But an AFC Team Appears As a Perfect Landing Spot For Bill Belichick appeared first on The SportsRush.

from The SportsRush https://ift.tt/kngiTXJ

Damian Lillard Injury Update: Will Bucks Guard Make His Return To Play Against The Rockets?

The Damian Lillard we saw on social media during the off-season and the Damian Lillard that we’ve seen so far for Milwaukee have been drastically different people. After lofty claims of building chemistry, he and Giannis Antetokounmpo have been unable to click on the court. To make matters worse, he hasn’t played since the 11th of November and has been on watch under concussion protocol.

The 4-9 Bucks are set to host the Houston Rockets, who at 10-4 are sitting pretty at 3rd in the West. There is good news for Bucks’ fans, though. Lillard’s condition has been upgraded to probable after his concussion.

Here is the Bucks injury report for Monday's game vs. Houston:

Out:
Khris Middleton (Bilateral Ankle Surgery)
Ryan Rollins (Left Shoulder Instability)

Probable:
Giannis Antetokounmpo (Right Patella Tendinopathy)
Damian Lillard (Concussion Protocol)

— Eric Nehm (@eric_nehm) November 17, 2024

He is likely to suit against Houston, and the Bucks will certainly benefit from it. He has already scored 30 points or more in three games this season, despite his poor start.

And although he and Giannis don’t yet have perfect chemistry, the two are still capable of turning any game around and dominating opponents on their own. If Dame stays healthy, the Bucks will have a far better chance at stringing wins together to make the playoffs come April.

But with the Bucks roster lacking depth and defensive potential, a healthy Giannis and Dame team is not a surefire way to win. Moreover, the Rockets have been very organized defensively, and it won’t be an easy contest for Milwaukee. Despite the impending sense of doom chasing the Bucks, the return of their All-Star duo is certainly good news.

The post Damian Lillard Injury Update: Will Bucks Guard Make His Return To Play Against The Rockets? appeared first on The SportsRush.

from The SportsRush https://ift.tt/cmO3ISX

Chiefs Owner’s Wife Tavia Hunt Left Shell-Shocked as Taylor Swift’s Movie Fails to Receive a Single Grammy Nomination

Die-hard Kansas City fan Taylor Swift has developed a special relationship with the Hunt family. Whenever the pop icon visits the Arrowhead Stadium for home games, the Chiefs’ owner Clark Hunt, his wife Tavia, and their two daughters wholeheartedly welcome her with open arms. Swift genuinely puts a lot of effort into balancing her tour while attending Travis Kelce’s games.

Taylor’s Eras Tour has become one of the most iconic tours in history, and the icon’s stardom was perfectly captured in the ‘Eras Tour concert’ movie. It broke several records upon its release in theatres. However, even then it failed to receive a single Grammy nomination.

This development didn’t amuse Tavia Hunt, who is one of Taylor’s biggest well-wishers.

Tavia recently attended the Eras Tour in Toronto, Canada. Reliving her best moments from the concert, she took to Instagram to thank Taylor for the special hospitality that she received. Tavia further insisted everyone to attend the concert before it ends on December 6th. Her caption read:

“A huge thank you to the Swift family for an unforgettable time at the Eras Tour in Toronto! Your kindness and hospitality are truly unmatched. It’s hard to believe, but this show just keeps getting better and better. If you haven’t seen it yet, what are you waiting for? There are only six shows left!”

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Tavia Hunt (@taviahunt)

Tavia noted that an easy alternative to experiencing Swift on stage would be to watch the Eras Tour movie which perfectly captures the spirit of the concert. Moreover, she also voiced her disagreement over the fact that the incredible film didn’t even receive a Grammy nomination.

“If you can’t make it, don’t miss the critically acclaimed, record-breaking Eras Tour movie.” she wrote. “It’s a masterpiece — with its cultural impact, stunning cinematography, and innovative take on the concert film genre, it’s shocking it didn’t receive a single nomination at the 2025 Grammy Awards. But hey, Taylor is still winning!”

While Taylor’s movie surely garnered attention by setting the box office on fire, its omission from the Grammy nominee list truly comes as a surprise to the Swifties.

The post Chiefs Owner’s Wife Tavia Hunt Left Shell-Shocked as Taylor Swift’s Movie Fails to Receive a Single Grammy Nomination appeared first on The SportsRush.

from The SportsRush https://ift.tt/QH0ZSRA

“Learned When to Keep My Mouth Shut”: Reel-Life Alain Prost on Facing ‘Hostility’ While Shooting Senna

Ayrton Senna’s legacy is set to be celebrated worldwide with the release of Netflix’s new mini-series about his life later this month. However, no story about Senna would be complete without his greatest rival, Alain Prost. Matt Mella, the actor portraying the Frenchman, shared how he had to navigate tricky waters on set.

Mella recently spoke about what went through his mind while playing the role of Prost, a four-time world champion. As his fan, it was difficult for Mella to comprehend that Prost was the antagonist, as far as the story was concerned. “He serves a very specific purpose in this script,” he said.

Mella was the only person who was out there to defend Prost’s honor. “For seven months, I had to be the only Prost fan and I was like his biggest advocate which meant, like, basically, clashing on a daily basis.”

Of course, they were all in good jest, but even to avoid this friendly ‘hostility’, Mella had to learn how to stay quiet. “That was the biggest challenge…learning when to keep my mouth shut,” the actor added.

After Ayrton Senna, Formula 1 was never the same. Senna, a new limited series inspired by the life, career, and relationships of the greatest Brazilian F1 driver of all time, premieres later this year. pic.twitter.com/yJZhvQXKIF

— Netflix (@netflix) April 30, 2024

Prost and Senna were part of arguably F1’s most heated intra-team battle when they were at McLaren. Giving no space to one another, both would race with their elbows out, and also weren’t afraid to crash into each other if it meant it would benefit them.

The making of this series, also titled Senna, was first announced in 2020, and it has slowly garnered a lot of attention from the F1 community. Senna, who will be played by Gabriel Leone, is one of the most beloved figures in the sport’s history, who tragically lost his life 30 years ago during the San Marino GP at Imola.

The mini-series will be released on Netflix on 29th November and is expected to be a hit among the audience.

The post “Learned When to Keep My Mouth Shut”: Reel-Life Alain Prost on Facing ‘Hostility’ While Shooting Senna appeared first on The SportsRush.

from The SportsRush https://ift.tt/Cvn3zgB

Ex-F1 Driver Reveals Where Carlos Sainz Trumps Charles Leclerc: “He Is Underrated”

Carlos Sainz is currently trailing his Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc by 63 points in the drivers’ championship. Both drivers have bagged five race wins in total this season with the Monegasque clinching one more than the Spaniard. However, there is one crucial aspect of race craft where Sainz trumps Leclerc, as per Marc Surer.

That is his ability to get the best out of the car when it is not capable of delivering top results. The former Arrows driver believes Leclerc is fast only when the car is quick. On the other hand, Sainz holds an edge with his adaptability, which makes him capable of drawing better results from a slower car. This ability, as per Surer, makes the #55 driver championship material and underrated.

“When the car is not perfect, he can adapt. When the car is good, Leclerc is incredibly fast, but only if he is like that. If the car is not perfect, Sainz is faster,” Marca quoted him as saying. “He is capable of becoming world champion at some point, because he can live with a worse car and still be incredibly fast.”

“I would say he is underrated, because he has the ability to continue performing, even if the car is not perfect,” Surer added.

P1! I’m incredibly happy! Scoring another win here in Mexico is even more special, as it’s almost a second home with the support of these fans! Congrats to the entire team! We’re getting closer in the Construtors’ WC. We’ll fight until the end!

https://t.co/YuSdpCA81m pic.twitter.com/5KP4DFRRsr

— Carlos Sainz (@Carlossainz55) October 27, 2024

This ability will surely come in handy once Sainz makes his upcoming move to Williams. While the team is making some crucial strides in development, they are nowhere near becoming a top side. That will increase their reliability on Sainz to deliver points regularly and also drive their development through feedback on the car.

Sainz to make early Williams debut

The confirmation of Sainz’s impending exit came through the announcement of Lewis Hamilton’s move to Ferrari. With that, the Spaniard was left with limited options of finding a seat with Williams being in the fray. Ultimately, both parties struck a deal for a long-term contract, which would see Sainz drive for the Grove-based team starting in 2025.

That debut, however, will happen earlier than expected as Sainz is set to drive for his new team in 2024. After the season concludes on December 8 with the Abu Dhabi GP, teams will have a day of end-of-the-season testing on December 10. That is when the Spaniard will get his first experience of driving a Williams car.

BREAKING NEWS: Carlos Sainz will drive for the team at the Abu Dhabi end-of-season test, gearing up for the 2025 season! ️

Full details below.

— Williams Racing (@WilliamsRacing) November 15, 2024

The announcement came earlier today through Williams’ social media post. The test run could help them get some crucial feedback to tweak the 2025 car to Sainz’s liking. It would be interesting to see how effective that will turn out to be in the upcoming season for Williams.

The post Ex-F1 Driver Reveals Where Carlos Sainz Trumps Charles Leclerc: “He Is Underrated” appeared first on The SportsRush.

from The SportsRush https://ift.tt/T2YDRsr

“Last Year His Feedback Wasn’t Taken in Right Way”: Haas Boss on Nico Hulkenberg’s Wasted Talent

With 224 starts under his name, Nico Hulkenberg is one of the most experienced drivers on the current grid. Thanks to his experience of more than a decade, he has gained ample knowledge of what it takes to be successful in F1. Haas’ current team principal Ayao Komatsu believes that his side did not utilize Hulkenberg’s feedback on their car in the “right way” last season and paid for it.

“He shows us what the limit of the car is, how quick it can go. And he’s got really good feeling in the car, so he can tell you exactly what we need to improve to make the car go faster. But then again, last year his comments, his feedback wasn’t taken on board in the right way”, Komatsu explained on The Fast and the Curious podcast.

However, Komatsu believes that Haas have ensured to make good use of the German’s feedback this year and the results are now there for everyone to see. The Japanese engineer’s remarks could be a dig at former Haas team principal Guenther Steiner, who led the side until the end of last season.

Ayao Komatsu, welcome to the Fast and the Curious!

We spoke to him about the big changes he’s made in his first year in charge of Haas, the team’s changing driver line-up and of course climbing (up the grid… sorry!).#F1 #HaasF1 pic.twitter.com/cFyR9P0XVh

— The Fast And The Curious (@fastcuriouspod) November 15, 2024

Irrespective of whatever the reasons are for Haas’ improvement this season, there is ample evidence to suggest that Komatsu has been leading the team brilliantly so far. Under his leadership, the team is currently seventh in the Constructors’ Championship with 46 points, just three points behind sixth-placed Alpine.

In stark contrast, Haas finished rock-bottom last year, the kind of results that likely got Steiner the sack. However, unfortunately for Haas, they will lose both their drivers next season as Hulkenberg has decided to join Sauber and it is the American outfit who have decided against retaining Magnussen by signing Oliver Bearman.

Komatsu thankful to Magnussen for delivering brilliant performances for Haas

After joining Haas in 2017, Magnussen has been with the team every season since barring one — he had to sit out in 2021 after getting dropped. Since the Danish driver has been so loyal to the American outfit, Komatsu, who himself has been on the team since its inception back in 2016, is sad to see the 32-year-old depart.

“Kevin’s qualifying may not be as strong as Nico’s consistently, but his race is often very very good. He is a strong racer and he’s got a strong head. I have been working with Kevin for seven seasons I think at Haas, one off, and he has been a great part of the team. It is mixed emotions to see him leave the team,” explained Komatsu.

Having said that, the 48-year-old is also looking forward to the future, something he thinks is likely to be bright with the likes of Bearman and Esteban Ocon coming in. Komatsu was all praises for Bearman during the podcast, expressing that the 19-year-old is very mature for his age.

As for Ocon, Komatsu believes that the French driver is still relatively young at 28, and will be hungry to achieve a lot more success. With two new drivers coming in, it would be interesting to see the dynamics of the team.

The post “Last Year His Feedback Wasn’t Taken in Right Way”: Haas Boss on Nico Hulkenberg’s Wasted Talent appeared first on The SportsRush.

from The SportsRush https://ift.tt/dgKHTEw