The Sports Insanity Network

MLB Weekend Preview (5/5-5/7)

By Mike Rifkin

The first weekend of May and we’re beginning to see the dog days of the baseball season. Here’s a look at some of the big series this weekend across Major League Baseball.

Yankees at Rays : Two teams that are polar opposites of each other will begin their season series when the Yankees visit the Trop. The Rays currently own the best record in baseball at 26-6 and are coming off a sweep of the Pirates. The Yankees sit at 17-15 and are coming off a series win over the Guardians. The Rays are first in batting average, home runs and ERA. If there was a time to play the Yankees it would be now, without Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton.

Blue Jays at Pirates : Two teams coming off of bad series, the Pirates are coming off a sweep at the hands of the Rays, while the Blue Jays are coming off getting swept by the Red Sox. Both teams are off to great starts, the Blue Jays it was expected, but nobody saw the start coming from the Pirates. There will be a lot of talent on the field during this series.

Twins at Guardians : The top two teams in the AL Central will meet for the first time this season. Last season the Twins were in charge of the division most of the year, until the Guardians made their run to overtake them. The Guardians took 13 of the 19 meetings last season. These are two of the top pitching teams in baseball as the Twins sit fifth in ERA and the Guardians are twelfth.

Orioles at Braves : There will be young talent on display during this series from Adley Rutschman, Ronald Acuna Jr. , Cedric Mullins, Austin Riley, etc. If you thought the Orioles run last year was a fluke, you’re mistaken the Orioles are currently 21-10. The Braves are the class of the National league with a record of 22-10. If the Orioles want to take the playbook of how to handle young players contracts all they’ll have to do is look across the diamond this weekend.

Red Sox at Phillies : The Red Sox are red hot entering this series they’ve won six in a row, and are 7-3 in their last 10 games. The Red Sox have been getting contributions from a lot of players including Masataka Yoshida, who is in the midst of a 14 game hitting streak. The Phillies are coming off a sweep at the hands of the Dodgers, but they did get Bryce Harper back in their lineup. They’ve lost four in a row and are 5-5 in their last 10 games.

Astros at Mariners : These two teams will play each other for the first time since the Astros dispatched the Mariners in the ALDS last season in three games. Yordan Alvarez has crushed the Mariners in his career hitting .305 with 11 home runs and 47 RBIS. But who can forget in game one of the ALDS last year when he homered off of Robbie Ray to give the Astros game 1. Julio Rodriguez hit .218 with two home runs last year against Houston.

Dodgers at Padres : NLDS rematch which saw the Padres exercise some demons by beating their rivals in four games. The Dodgers were 14-5 against the Padres in the regular season and didn’t lose a single series prior to the playoffs. Since 2017 the Dodgers are 72-33 vs the Padres. The Dodgers started slow, but have hit their stride winning six in a row and are 8-2 in their last 10 games including a sweep of the Phillies. The Padres are 7-3 in their last 10 games. They got Fernando Tatis back some time ago and that has given them life. The addition of Xander Bogaerts has been great for them. He has a slash line of .291/.378/.479 with six home runs and 13 RBIS. The Dodgers lead the National League with 54 home runs.

Taken For Granted

By: Mike Rifkin

On Sunday, in game seven of the first round of the Western Conference playoffs, Stephen Curry dropped 50 points in the Warriors’ 120-100 win over the Kings. The 50 points were the most ever by an individual player in a game seven in NBA history. The 50 points is another notch in the belt of a guy who is a four-time NBA Champion, two-time MVP, two-time scoring champion, and a Finals MVP. Do we take Curry’s greatness for granted?

Curry, the seventh overall pick in the 2009 draft by the Warriors, has played his entire career for them. Curry is the franchise leader in games, points, assists, steals, and three-point field goals. Curry has also led the organization to four championships throughout his career.

Because of the greatness of players like LeBron James and Kevin Durant, we take Curry for granted. When Kevin Durant joined the Warriors, people debated on whose team it would be, but Curry made Durant’s transition more manageable. When Durant won back-to-back Finals MVPs, people were discussing if Curry’s legacy would change if he never won a Finals MVP. Curry’s legacy changed when he averaged 31.2 points per game, 6.0 rebounds, and 5.0 assists on his way to a Finals MVP last season.

Steph also changed the game by way of the three-point shot. Now when you watch a game, you will see guys pulling up from 40 feet and launching threes; the first guy to do that was Curry. When Curry eventually calls it a career, it will be the end for one of the best players of All – Time. Steph’s legacy is that he brought a franchise back to relevancy and changed the game just like LeBron James. He deserves more love than he gets. It’s how we take Steph Curry’s greatness for granted.

2023 Mock Roster Draft: AEW Edition

By Allison Weiner

With the rumors of AEW wanting to split the roster, I have decided to create my own version of the 2023 AEW draft. There is a chance that some stables may split, some will go to ROH, and some superstars getting released. Since there is 1 AEW World Champion, I have also decided to make the AEW International Champion a main title for the other brand. Without further ado, here is my 2023 AEW mock draft for the roster

Dynamite or Dark	Rampage or Collision	ROH	Released/Other
Jade Cargill (TBS Champion/ Baddies)	Jamie Hayter (AEW Women’s Champion)	Athena (ROH Women’s Champion)	Butcher (Unsure of where he will go)
Keira Hogan (Baddies)	Taya Valkyrie	Mercedes Martinez	Blade (Unsure of where he will go)
Kenny Omega (Elite)	Dr. Britt Baker DMD	Willow Nightingale	Allie/The Bunny (Unsure of where she will go)
Anna Jay (JAS)	Nyla Rose	Serena Deeb	Andrade El Idolo
Tay Melo (JAS)	Thunder Rosa	Madison Rayne	Miro
Abadon	Toni Storm (Outcasts	Marina Shafir	Rebel (Move to a Coach Role)
Red Velvet (Baddies)	Julia Hart (House of Black)	Mark Briscoe	Paige VanZant
Danhausen	Malakai Black (Trios Champion/House of Black)	Samoa Joe (TV Champion)	Dustin Rhodes (Retirement)
MJF (AEW World Champion)	Buddy Matthews (Trios Champion/House of Black)	Eddie Kingston	Angelico
Dax Harwood (AEW Tag Team Champion)	Brody King (Trios Champion/House of Black)	Blake Christian	Anthony Agogo
Cash Wheeler (AEW Tag Team Champion)	Orange Cassidy (AEW International Champion)	Brandon Tate	Boulder
Hook (FTW Champion)	Trent Baretta (Best Friends)	Blake Tate	Bronson
Chris Jericho (JAS)	Chuck Taylor (Best Friends)	Brian Cage with Prince Nana (6-Man Tag Team Champion/The Embassy)	Christopher Daniels (Retirement/Backstage Role)
Sammy Guevara (JAS)	Wardlow(TNT Champion)	Kaun (6-Man Tag Team Champion/The Embassy)	Griff Garrison
Daniel Garcia (JAS)	Saraya (Outcasts)	Maria Kanellis Bennett (The Kingdom)	Marq Quen
Riho	Ruby Soho (Outcasts)	Mike Bennett (The Kingdom)	Isaiah Kassidy
Hikaru Shida	Matt Menard (JAS)	Toa Liona (6-Man Tag Team Champion/The Embassy)	Nick Wayne
Leila Grey (Baddies)	Angelo Parker (JAS)	Matt Taven (The Kingdom)	Dr. Luther (Move to a Coach Role)
Leva Bates	Jake Hager (JAS)	Katsuyori Shibata (Pure Champion)	Michael Nakazawa
Penelope Ford	Leyla Hirsch	Pac (Death Triangle)	Preston Vance
Skye Blue	Kris Statlander	Penta El Zero (Death Triangle/ Lucha Bros./ROH Tag Team Champion)	Shawn Dean (Backstage Role)
Matt Jackson (Young Bucks/Elite)	Adam Cole (Bullet Club)	Rey Fenix (Death Triangle/Lucha Bros./ROH Tag Team Champion)	Zack Clayton
Nick Jackson (Young Bucks/Elite)	CM Punk	Yuka Sakazaki	Peter Avalon
Anthony Bowens (Acclaimed)	Austin Gunn (Gunn Club)	Emi Sakura
Max Caster (Acclaimed)	Colton Gunn (Gunn Club)	Aaron Solo (The Factory)
Action Andretti	AR Fox	Ariya Daivari
Brandon Cutler (Elite)	Dante Martin (Top Flight)	Blake Christian
Billy Gunn	Darius Martin (Top Flight)	Alex Reynolds (Dark Order)
Big Bill (The Firm)	Brian Pillman Jr	John Silver (Dark Order)
Jungle Boy	Brock Anderson	Evil Uno (Dark Order)
Ethan Page with Stokely Hathaway (The Firm)	Christian Cage	Colt Cobana
Lee Moriarty (The Firm)	Luchasaurus	Bandido
Fuego Del Sol	Darby Allin	Josh Woods
Hangman Adam Page	Sting	Lee Johnson (The Factory)
Jay Lethal with Sonjay Dutt (Lethal Connection)	Jay White (Bullet Club)	QT Marshall (The Factory)
Jeff Jarrett (Lethal Connection)	Juice Robinson (Bullet Club)	Nick Comoroto (The Factory)
Jeff Hardy	Keith Lee	Cole Karter (The Factory)
Matt Hardy	Bobby Fish (Will return to reform RedDragon/Bullet Club/UE)	Matt Sydal
Santam Singh (Lethal Connection)	Kyle O’Reilly (Will return to reform RedDragon/Bullet Club/UE)	Matt Taven
Lance Archer	Konosuke Takeshita	Stu Grayson (Dark Order)
Kip Sabian	Santana	Tony Nese
Jon Moxley (BCC)	Ortiz	Rush
Claudio Castagnoli (BCC)	Bryan Danielson (BCC)	Sonny Kiss
Ricky Starks	Wheeler Yuta (BCC)	Minoro Suzuki
Swerve Strickland (Mogul Affiliates)	Powerhouse Hobbs
Parker Bordeaux (Mogual Affiliates)	Serpentico
Trench (Mogul Affiliates)	Scorpio Sky
Kushida	Roderick Strong (UE)

MLB Weekend Preview

By: Mike Rifkin

As April ends and May begins, here is a look at some of the more significant series this weekend.

American League: Yankees at Rangers: Two teams with high expectations coming into the season. The Yankees because of who they are, and the Rangers for what they did in the offseason. The Yankees will see what they did as they will face Andrew Heaney and Jacob deGrom in the first two games of the four-game series. Both teams come into this series off rough series. The Yankees lost two of three to the Twins, and the Reds swept the Rangers. Both teams have a similar record (NYY: 14-11, TEX: 14-10). The Rangers’ offense averages six runs per game and will take on the team with the third-best ERA in baseball. The Yankees will look to get off on the right foot with their ace Gerrit Cole on the mound, and the Rangers will counter with Andrew Heaney in the opener.

Mariners at Blue Jays: A playoff rematch, which saw Seattle advance after winning the first two games. Luis Castillo will take on Alek Manoah on Friday, Saturday will have Chris Flexen take on Kevin Gausman, and Sunday will see Marco Gonzalez take on Chris Bassitt. The Mariners have struggled to start and sit three games under .500 and are 4-6 in their last 10. The Blue Jays are 6-4 in their last ten and have won four in a row.

National League: Braves at Mets: The top two teams in the NL East will play the first of four on Friday. Last season the Braves edged the Mets by a game after sweeping them in three games in September in Atlanta, something the Mets have remembered. The Mets will need their bats to wake up and the pitching to improve because the Braves have been rolling. The Mets will get Max Scherzer back from suspension to start the finale.

Cardinals at Dodgers: Two iconic franchises, both of whom have underachieved in April. The Cardinals are at the bottom of the NL Central and are 3-7 in their last ten games. The Dodgers lost two of three to the Pirates and only sit one game back in the NL West despite being .500. This weekend’s series could get one of these teams going.

Interleague: Phillies at Astros: World Series rematch is all I need to say. These two teams have gotten hot, as both are 7-3 in their last ten games. Aaron Nola and Zack Wheeler will take on Framber Valdez and Cristian Javier in the series’ first two games. This series should be fun, with good hitting, pitching, and two good teams.

Central Struggles

By Mike Rifkin

It’s still April, and there is still a lot of Baseball to be played. But there are two teams I am considering pushing the panic button on.

The White Sox were arguably the biggest disappointment in Baseball last season. They have carried that over into 2023. The White Sox have lost seven consecutive games, including being swept by the Blue Jays this week. The Blue Jays outscored them 20-2 in the three games and 15-0 in the final two. The White Sox team has a slash line of .232/.292/.373. Yoan Moncada and Tim Anderson, the team’s top two hitters, have been limited due to injuries; Anderson should be starting a rehab assignment this weekend. As a team, they are averaging four runs per game. The pitching could be better, too. The White Sox are 29th in ERA with a 5.53 ERA; the only team behind them is the Athletics. Last year the White Sox had a 3.92 ERA, and in 2021 they were seventh with a 3.83 ERA. Dylan Cease is the only starter with an ERA under three. Lucas Giolito and Lance Lynn, who both needed to have a bounce-back season, currently have ERA’S of 4.50 and 7.52, respectively, and the two have combined for three out of a possible ten quality starts. The White Sox are currently seven games back of the Twins in the AL Central, and upcoming they have a four-game set against the Rays and a three-game set against the Twins; if they can stay afloat, they then have seven games against the Reds, and Royals with potential to make some noise in the standings.

In the National League, I’m starting to worry about the Cardinals, who will look to avoid a four-game sweep at the hands of the Giants on Thursday. The Cardinals are 9-16 and eight games back of the Pirates in the NL Central, just like everyone suspected. The Cardinals are 3-7 in their last ten games. Last year the Cardinals won the NL Central before losing to the Phillies in the Wild Card series. The Cardinals’ offense is doing its part, averaging 4.50 runs per game. They have a slash line of .267/.341/.425. Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Arenado have done their job combining for six home runs and 27 RBIs. Nolan Gorman has six home runs and 22 RBI with a slash line of .295/.378/.590. The Cardinals have a team ERA of 4.38. Cardinals starters have four quality starts in the team’s 25 games, three of which belong to Jordan Montgomery. Jack Flaherty and Steven Matz have combined for 32 walks in 53 innings. The rest of the staff has combined for 20 in 77.4 innings pitched. Adam Wainwright is yet to throw a pitch this season, but you can’t expect a 40-year-old pitcher to come to save the entire staff. After Thursday’s game against the Giants, the team will travel to Los Angeles to play the Dodgers before returning home to play the Angels.

Yes, it’s early in the baseball season, and both teams can get hot. But if they don’t pick it up soon, they could have a disappointing 2023.

2023 NFL MOCK DRAFT

BY MIKE RIFKIN

Panthers – Bryce Young QB – Alabama – The Panthers moved up to number one to get their franchise guy that they haven’t had since Cam Newton left.
Texans – Will Anderson Jr. EDGE- Alabama – I believe the noise that the Texans are passing on a quarterback if Young isn’t here. Anderson is the best edge rusher in the draft and gives new coach Demeco Ryans a shiny new toy on defense.
Colts (Via ARI) – CJ Stroud QB – Ohio ST. I know it’s one spot, but the Colts cannot have this opportunity slip through their fingers. Stroud could be the franchise guy they’ve been searching for since Andrew Luck retired.
Cardinals (via IND) – Tyree Wilson – Edge Texas Tech – Wilson had 16.5 sacks in four seasons at Texas Tech. The Cardinals lost their sack leader JJ Watt, to retirement.
Seahawks – Jalen Carter – Georgia – Yes, there is off the field troubles with Carter, but if there is a guy who can help him, it’s Pete Carroll. The Seahawks take arguably the best defensive player in the draft with the pick they got in the Russell Wilson trade.
Lions – Devon Witherspoon – CB – Illinois – Jeff Okudah was traded to Atlanta, so there’s a hole at the corner. Witherspoon had 160 tackles and five interceptions in his four years at Illinois.
Raiders – Christian Gonzalez – CB – Oregon – The Raiders play in a division with Patrick Mahomes, Russell Wilson, and Justin Herbert. Gonzalez had a solid career at Oregon, including four interceptions last season.
Falcons – Lukas Van Ness – EDGE -Iowa – The Falcons were 31st in the NFL in sacks last season. The Falcons might have something on the defensive line by combining Van Ness with Grady Jarrett and the recently added Calais Campbell.
Bears – Peter Skoronski – OT Northwestern – I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s a trade if one of the quarterbacks falls. Justin Fields was sacked 55 times last season; that can’t happen. The Bears stay in the city and take one of the top offensive linemen in the draft.
Eagles- Myles Murphy – EDGE – Clemson – Brandon Graham is on a one-year deal, and the Eagles love working in the trenches.
Titans- Anthony Richardson – QB – Florida – There’s a report the Titans have lost faith in Malik Willis, and they can get out of Ryan Tannehill’s contract after this season. Richardson has raw ability and will have to wait on the bench.
Texans – Jaxson Smith -Njigba – WR -Ohio St – Again, I have the Texans bypassing quarterback because they could have something up their sleeve (Trey Lance). Whoever the quarterback is, they need receivers to throw to, especially after the Brandin Cools trade. Smith-Njigba was a beast in 2021, with 95 catches, 1,606 yards, and nine touchdowns.
Packers – Dalton Kincaid – TE – Utah – The irony of using a first-round pick you got for trading Aaron Rodgers and using it on a pass catcher. Kincaid gives Jordan Love an excellent safety valve. Just watch the USC game from October.
Vikings – Will Levis – QB – Kentucky – The Vikings won the NFC North last year but have to look to the future past Kirk Cousins. They could move up and take the Kentucky QB if Levis is still around.
Jets – Paris Johnson – OT – Ohio ST.- The Jets just brought in Aaron Rodgers. Now the goal is to protect him. The other factor for this is Mekhi Becton has yet to be able to prove he can stay healthy.
Commanders – Joey Porter Jr. – CB – Penn St. – Could fit with Ron Rivera. Porter is a very physical corner and is very long.
Steelers – Broderick Jones – OT -Georgia – Steelers offensive line gave up 38 sacks last season. Jones is very athletic and can develop into a cornerstone at left tackle.
Lions – Bijan Robinson – RB -Texas – I know the Lions need help on defense and added David Montgomery during the offseason, but I can’t pass this up. The Lions last had an elite running back when, Barry Sanders. Robinson will have the Motor in the Motor City.
Bucs – Darnell Wright – OT – Tennessee – The Tom Brady era is over in Tampa. But over the last two years, he was sacked 44 times; Wright can slot in on the right side as they try to fix the offensive line.
Seahawks – Nolan Smith – EDGE- Georgia – Nolan Smith can be to this Seahawks team what Bruce Irvin was to the teams that were great in the 2010s. So the Seahawks, with their two firsts, take two defensive players from Georgia, alright.
Chargers – Jordan Addison – WR – USC – Keenan Allen missed some time last season with a hamstring injury, and Mike Williams has also had injury issues. Addison, a former Bilentikoff award winner, could stay in California after one year at USC.
Ravens – O’Cyrus Torrence – Everything here hinges on what happens with Lamar Jackson. Torrence can replace Ben Powers, who left for the Broncos. Torrence could also benefit from the new system new offensive coordinator Todd Monken wants to implement.
Patriots – Deonte Banks – CB- Maryland – This could easily be a weapon for Mac Jones, but Bill Belichick opts for defense against the offenses of the Bills, Dolphins, and Jets. Banks will bring in great size and length.
Jaguars – Brian Branch -DB – Alabama – The Jags could use another corner cutting Shaq Griffin. Brian Branch played inside at Alabama and has excellent instincts.
Chiefs (Via NYG) – Zay Flowers – WR – Boston College – Zay Flowers has been working out with Patrick Mahomes. Flowers is a smooth route runner and would give the Chiefs a serious deep threat. So if the Chiefs want him, they must come up to get him.
Cowboys – Anton Harrison – OT – Oklahoma – Tyron Smith is another year older and has had some injuries over the past few seasons. If there’s one thing the Cowboys have done well with, it’s drafting O linemen. Harrison could be the Left Tackle of the future.
Bills – Jack Campbell – LB- Iowa – Might not be the most popular pick, but Campbell replaces Tremaine Edmunds, who signed with the Bears. Campbell, 2022, won the Dick Butkus Award for best Linebacker in the country. In four years at Iowa, Campbell had 305 tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss, three sacks, 15 passes defended, and five interceptions.
Bengals – Michael Mayer- Do the Bengals need another weapon on offense? Mayer will provide a big-time red zone threat and open up the middle of the field. Mayer is also a good run blocker which could open that up for the Bengals.
Saints – Will McDonald – Edge – Iowa ST.- The Saints need a guy opposite Cam Jordan, and McDonald gives them just that. McDonald is very explosive, and he and Cam Jordan could create a dynamic duo for the Saints’ defense.
Eagles – Calijah Kancey- Fletcher Cox is back on a one-year deal. Kacey crushed it at the combine and posted 14.5 sacks in two years as a starter. Kacey and Jordan Davis in the middle for a long time could be why the Eagles stay in a state with this pick.
Giants (Via KC) – Quentin Johnston – WR – TCU – Johnston is very athletic and has good speed and size. The Giants can give Daniel Jones everything they thought Kenny Golladay was going to give them.

The 2023 NFL Mock Draft

By Bill Murphy

Carolina Panthers – Bryce Young QB Alabama- The Panthers have been searching for a franchise Quarterback since Cam Newton left. They tried Baker Mayfield, Sam Darnold, and PJ Walker last year, and they’re gone. Frank Reich has succeeded with QBS, such as Andrew Luck, Philip Rivers, and others.
Houston Texans – CJ Stroud – QB Ohio State -Demeco Ryans might want A QB that is not Davis Mills.
Arizona Cardinals Will Anderson – Alabama Edge Rusher The Arizona Defense will have some holes in its season with the absence of their sack leaders of the last three seasons (Heason Reddick, Marcus Golden, and JJ Watt ). There is also a chance this pick will be traded. Anderson has a stat of 24.5 sacks at Alabama.
Colts – Will Levis QB – Kentucky – Let’s Just admit the Matt Ryan Experiment was a failure. Since Andrew Luck retired, the Colts have been searching for a long-term solution at Quarterback. With Shane Steichen at the reigns of the Colts, he has a good track record with young QBS, such as Phillip Rivers, Justin Herbert in San Diego / Los Angeles, and Jalen Hurts in Philadelphia.
Seattle Seahawks -Tyree Wilson EDGE -Texas Tech Last year, Uchenna Nwosu and Darrell Taylor both had 9.5 sacks which led the Seahawks. Wilson, in his 23 games at Texas Tech, wracked up 14 sacks, 62 solo tackles, and 27.5 tackles for loss. If the Seahawks draft Wilson and the free agent signings of Bobby Wagner, Devin Bush, and Dre’mont Jones, the Seahawks defense could be a force to be reckoned with.
Detroit Lions -Christian Gonzalez CB – Oregon- Christian Gonzalez stats from last year he had four interceptions. In his three years at Oregon, he had 17 passes defended.
Las Vegas Raiders -Peter Skoronski OT Northwestern – Skoronski can play all five offensive-line positions, making him the most flexible player in the draft. Skornoski can be the best protection for Jimmy Garroplo, only giving up on pressure 2.1 %of the time at Northwestern.
Atlanta Falcons- Nolan Smith Edge Rusher Georgia -Smith would be under the mentorship of veteran Calais Campbell. The Falcons could keep the Georgia boy at home.
Chicago Bears – Paris Johnson Ohio State OT – The Chicago Bears have the worst pressure allowed percentage at 39.5 percent, and Field was sacked 55 times last year despite his running abilities. Johnson could protect Fields from opponents’ defense and Reunite Justin Fields with his old college teammate.
Philadelphia Eagles- Jalen Carter – The Eagles are in a position where they don’t have a lot of holes. The Eagles could boost up their Defensive Line with the best player available. So despite Carter’s off-field escapades, he can be a real asset to the Eagles Defensive line.
Tennessee Titans -Anthony Richardson QB – Tannehill’s fate is uncertain with him heading into the final year of his contract. The Titans have reportedly lost faith in Malik Willis, who had a lackluster rookie season scoring no touchdowns and throwing three interceptions. Richardson threw 2,549 yards and 17 touchdowns last year.
Houston Texans -Quentin Johnston WR TCU – Johnston had his best season last year with 60 catches, 1,069 yards, and six touchdowns. With the Texans losing Brandin Cooks to Dallas, they need another weapon.
Green Bay Packers- Lukas Van Ness Edge Iowa – Over the last two seasons, Van Ness put in 13.5 sacks and 19.5 tackles for loss and blocked two punts last year against Iowa State. Van Ness would help a Packer defense that underachieved last year.
New England Patriots – WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Ohio State- He gives Mac Jones a new weapon in 2021. Smith – Njigba wracked up 95 receptions, 1,606 yards, and nine touchdowns. In 2022 he played three games before hurting his hamstring, and he decided to sit out the rest of the season.
New York Jets- Georgia – Broderick Jones OT – With the addition of Aaron Rodgers, the Jets would need a solid offensive line to protect him. Last Year Jones didn’t give up a sack.
Washington Commanders Joey Porter CB -Last year, Porter wracked up 21 solo tackles with six assists, the most tackles in a season.
Pittsburgh Steelers – Calijah Kancey Pittsburgh DL – Cam Heyward will be 34 years old next month. Kancey was unbelievable at the combine. After taking the Pitt QB last year, the Steelers could stay in the same area here.

18. Detroit Lions -Myles Murphy Clemson edge – During his last two seasons in Clemson, he had 14.5 sacks and 25.5 tackles for loss. He would be dangerous to quarterbacks, along with Aidan Hutchinson

19 Tampa Bay Bucs, Brian Branch, Alabama Safety – The Bucs dropped from 3rd to 15th in run defense in the league. With the Bucs losing Keanu Neal, Mike Edwards, and Logan Ryan to free agency, Branch missed four out of 174 tackles.

20. Seattle Seahawks – Jordan Addison WR-USC -Addison would be an excellent addition to Lockett and Metcalf as a wide receiver. Addison won the Biletnikoff Award in 2021, given to the best receiver in College Football.

21. Los Angeles Chargers -Bijan Robinson RB Texas- Austin Eckler requested a trade; Robinson would be the best replacement with 1,580 yards and eight touchdowns last year.

22. Baltimore Ravens -Jaxson Kirkland- OT- Washington – The key to the Ravens is having Lamar Jackson back. With the addition of Odell Beckham, if the Ravens want to keep Lamar upright, Kirkland can help.

23. Minnesota Vikings – Cedric Tilman – WR – Tennessee – Adam Thielen was cut during the offseason. Tillman gives Kirk Cousins another weapon across from Justin Jefferson.

24. Jacksonville Jaguars – Darnell Wright OT -Tennessee – Wright, along with Cam Robinson, will be the premier tackle for Trevor Lawrence.

25. New York Giants – Zay Flowers- WR – Boston College Flowers will add to the wide receiver group of Darius Slayton, Isiah Hodgins, and Sterling Shepard. This pick gives Daniel Jones another weapon.

26. Dalton Kincaid TE – Utah Dallas Cowboys – Dalton Schultz walked in free agency. Kincaid gives Dak a nice security blanket.

27. Buffalo Bills Deonte Banks CB Maryland – 83 tackles, 0.5 sacks, two interceptions, and 11 passes defended. He’s a strong and versatile tackler. He has a good size for a corner.

28 Cincinnati Bengals – Keion White – EDGE Georgia Tech – An athletic edge rusher to play with Sam Hubbard and Trey Hendrickson.

29. New Orleans Saints – Parker Washington WR – Excellent after the catch, similar to his former teammate Jahan Dotson. Pairing him with Chris Olave could give Derek Carr two solid young receivers.

30. Philadelphia Eagles-Will McDonald IV Edge Iowa State – Brandon Graham signed a one-year deal but is another year older. McDonald could benefit from playing for a team with a ton of depth. He is very explosive, and the Eagles could mold him.

31. Kansas City Chiefs – Jahmyr Gibbs RB – Alabama -The benefit of being Super Bowl Champs. Clyde Edwards – Helaire hasn’t panned out, and Jerrick Mckinnon is a free agent. Gibbs and Isiah Pacheco could be a tremendous running-back duo.

2023 Mock Draft: WWE Edition (Allison’s Version)

By Allison Weiner

As the draft begins this week for WWE, I would like to prepare my version of the 2023 WWE Draft. There is a chance that some stables may split, some superstars get drafted to NXT, and chances of some WWE superstars getting released. I will not do all of the NXT roster as there are too many superstars, but I will put in the ones I feel will get a call-up to the main roster. I will also put out there that the undisputed tag titles will split, so wherever Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens go, they will vacate the other titles. If I am missing any, please let me know. Stay tuned for the mock draft for AEW in May. Without further ado, here is my 2023 WWE mock draft for the roster:

RAW	Smackdown	NXT	Released/Other
Cody Rhodes (1st Overall Draft Pick)	Roman Reigns with Paul Heyman (WWE Undisputed Universal Champion/Bloodline)	Mustafa Ali	Angel
Sami Zayn (Raw Tag Team Champion)	Austin Theory (U.S. Champion)	Xia Li	Humberto
Kevin Owens (Raw Tag Team Champion)	Jimmy Uso (Bloodline)	Lacey Evans	Akira Tozawa
Gunther (I.C. Champion/Imperum)	Jey Uso (Bloodline)	Jinder Mahal	Drew McIntyre (Contract expiring)
Ludwig Kaiser (Imperium)	Solo Sikoa (Bloodline)	Shanky	Dana Brooke
Giovanni Vinci (Imperium)	Rhea Ripley (SD Women’s Champion/Judgement Day)	Veer Mahan	Aliyah
Erik (Viking Raiders)	Finn Balor (Judgement Day)	Cedric Alexander	B-Fab
Ivar (Viking Raiders)	Damian Priest (Judgement Day)		Ashonte Adonis
Valhalla (Viking Raiders)	Dominick Mysterio (Judgement Day)		Top Dolla
Bianca Belair (Raw Women’s Champion)	Angelo Dawkins		Shelton Benjamin (Retirement)
Montez Ford	Becky Lynch		Dolph Ziggler (Move to Coach Role)
Charlotte Flair	Seth Rollins		Robert Roode (Move to Coach Role)
Bayley	Liv Morgan (WWE Womens Tag Team Champion)		R-Truth (Retirement)
Iyo Sky	Raquel Rodriguez (WWE Womens Tag Team Champion)		Bray Wyatt (Unsure if he will be cut, but might be off again for a while)
Dakota Kai	Zelina Vega (Legado Del Fantasma/LWO)		Alexa Bliss (Same reason as Bray Wyatt)
Shotzi	Santos Escobar (Legado Del Fantasma/LWO)		Uncle Howdy (Same reason as Bray Wyatt)
Tegan Nox	Joaquin Wilde (Legado Del Fantasma/LWO)
Natalya	Cruz Del Toro (Legado Del Fantasma/LWO)
Candice LeRae	Elektra Lopez (NXT/Legado Del Fantasma/LWO)
Johnny Gargano	Shayna Baszler
Tomasso Ciampa	Ronda Rousey
Dexter Lumis	Chad Gable (Alpha Academy)
Carmella	Chelsea Green
Meiko Satomura (NXT)	Sonya Deville
Asuka	Trish Stratus (WWE HOF)
Indi Hartwell (NXT)	Beth Phoenix (WWE HOF)
Piper Niven	Nikki Cross
Katana Chance (NXT)	Wendy Choo (NXT)
Kayden Carter (NXT)	Tamina
AJ Styles (The O.C.)	Brock Lesnar
Luke Gallows (The O.C.)	Bronson Reed
Karl Anderson (The O.C.)	Logan Paul
Bobby Lashley	Cameron Grimes (NXT)
Elias	Braun Strowman
Rick Boogs	Mia Yim
Shinsuke Nakamura	Ridge Holland
Omos with MVP	Butch/Pete Dunne
Ricochet	Sheamus
Lita (WWE HOF)	Tyler Bate (NXT)
LA Knight	Rey Mysterio (WWE HOF)
Bron Brekker (NXT)	Edge (WWE HOF)
Randy Orton	Karrion Kross with Scarlett
The Miz	Madcap Moss
Mace (MMM)	Emma
Mansoor with Maxxine Dupri (MMM)	Kofi Kingston (New Day)
Otis (Alpha Academy)	Xavier Woods (New Day)
Ilja Dragunov (NXT)	Big E (New Day)
Matt Riddle	Elton Prince and Kit Wilson (NXT/Pretty Deadly)

Era Of Love

By Lawrence Lang

The Aaron Rodgers era in Green Bay has ended as Rodgers will be heading to East Rutherford, New Jersey, to be the new quarterback of the New York Jets. On Monday, the deal everyone had waited for was finally completed. The Packers traded the future Hall of Famer along with the 15th overall pick and a 5th rd pick (170) in exchange for the 13th overall pick, 42nd pick, pick 207, and a conditional second-round pick that becomes a first if Rodgers plays 65 percent of the plays this season.

After what was a dismal season for the Green Bay Packers, where they went 8-9 and had a shot of making the playoff the last week of the season but would lose to the Detroit Lions 20-16 ending their season about what was supposed to be a promising season.

Rodgers, the reigning NFL MVP, found himself with his star wide receiver Davante Adams who went to Las Vegas Raiders in the off-season and had to go with two rookies at wide receiver. Christian Watson and Romeo Dobbs to go along with veteran wide receivers Adam Lazard and Randall Cobb. Rodgers would have himself a subpar season. He would average 217.4 passing yards per game, have 24 touchdowns and 12 interceptions, and was sacked 32 times. The 12 interceptions from Rodgers this season also put him over 100 career (105) interceptions in his 17 years in the national football league.

What’s the season behind us? The Aaron Rodgers and Green Bay Packer saga has also ended. This turmoil has grown since Jordan Love was taken in the 2020 NFL draft 26th overall pick. Rogers has always wanted to say who the Packers should get or sign, and they would never really listen with Love being drafted; it seems to be the Titanic hitting the iceberg with the relationship with Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers, front office. Packers had plenty of opportunity to try and keep Davante Adams, but they ended up trading him. He also had opportunities to get one receiver, such as Odell Beckham Jr. Even though I was hurt at the time, signing him could’ve kept Rogers on the Packers. Who wouldn’t want OBJ on your team?

Aaron Rodgers was a constant in Green Bay, bringing the team numerous NFC North division titles for NFC championship appearances. The team won the Super Bowl when they beat the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl 45; he was also named Super Bowl MVP.

We can also ask what happened here in 17 years with Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers. A quarterback who, in the words of certain sports personnel, says he’s a bad man to have only won. Super Bowl win an appearance in 17 years. It’s pretty shocking Rogers, in 17 years, is a four-time NFL MVP and has the highest single-season QBR in 122.5, which he set in 2011. He is also 25 touchdowns away from being in the 500 passing touchdown club and is 945 passing yards away from the 60,000 passing club. He would have at least 2 to 3 Super Bowls. But it seems over the last 17 years. The Packers have only been focused on defense instead of trying to build the office because we’ve seen numerous times the Packers use that first-round pick to draft a defensive player. Instead of an offensive player, granted, we have seen a few offensive players drafted by the Packers in the first round, Eddie Lacy and Christian Watson. We know how to Lacey experiment went to a fat dead end, and Watson had a solid rookie season.

But we can’t relish in the past time to look towards the future in the future for the Green Bay Packers is Jordan Love. In one game in the 2022 season, he completed 14 passes on 22 attempts at 193 passing yards, one touchdown, and no interceptions. If you need to know who Love is, he was Utah State’s quarterback. From 2017 to 2019, he had 8600 passing yards, 60 touchdowns, and 29 interceptions. Like Rodgers, Love has been sitting and waiting for his time to be a full-time starter as the Green Bay Packers quarterback.

Love could be the third franchise quarterback. A team has had an inevitable backlash for 30 years. It was Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers. I didn’t know 30 years, we’ve only seen two Super Bowl wins, one from each. Love could be the one to break that and get the Packers a couple of Super Bowl wins. We hear very little from Love. He stays low-key and out of the media, and during this whole Rogers Packers fiasco, he’s not had much to say focus on the game. If you can keep that mentality for the last three years, he should easily transition into being a full-time Packer quarterback. We only quite well the Packers build around him, or will history repeat itself for a third time?

Sticky To The Max

By: Mike Rifkin

In the Third inning of the Mets – Dodgers game, Mets starter Max Scherzer was forced to switch gloves due to a sticky substance. Before the fourth inning, Scherzer was rechecked and ejected from the game. Scherzer was adamant during his post-game that the only thing he was using was Rosin and sweat. It should be noted that Rosin is legal in Baseball.

In 2021 MLB banned sticky substances for pitchers. Pitchers caught with sticky stuff are then suspended for ten games. So far, there have been two instances with the sticky, both in 2021. Hector Santiago of the Mariners and Caleb Smith of the Diamondbacks were suspended. Both ejections came from Umpire Phil Cuzzi, the same umpire who ejected the other two. Scherzer announced on Thursday that he was dropping his appeal.

Here’s my issue with what took place. Last Saturday, Yankees pitcher Domingo German was checked multiple times, which did lead to the ejection of Twins manager Rocco Baldelli. If Scherzer was checked multiple times and ejected, why was German checked and not ejected if it was the same thing? Why is there only one umpire who has enforced the rule?

In 2021 Rays ace Tyler Glasnow blamed the banned sticky substance for why he had to undergo Tommy John Surgery. Glasnow said, “ I just threw 80-something innings & you just tell me I can’t use anything. I have to change everything. I truly believe 100% that’s why I got hurt. I’m frustrated MLB doesn’t understand. You can’t just tell us to use nothing. It’s crazy.” Instead of slowly trying to change the rule, MLB has expected pitchers to go Cold Turkey. At the same time, pitchers are allowed to use Rosin, but they don’t say how much Rosin is too much. Pitchers cannot put the Rosin in their gloves, but they can use it for a better grip.

MLB hasn’t figured out a solution for this issue. MLB didn’t have a solution, and they expected the umpires to police the issue. Now they’re blaming a problem on the players that is an MLB problem. Rob Manfred has to work with the players to devise a solution because the umpires don’t know how to police the rules except for Phil Cuzzi.