…….(Football)…….

(AFC-NFC Championship Games)

Jaguars-at-Patriots….Matchup of Tom Brady and high powered offense-vs-Jaguars tough guy defense….Patriots averaging (394YPG) 42TDs in red zone…Jaguars defense (286YPG) 55-sacks-33 takeaways…Allowed just 11-TD in red zone….33%-on 3rd down defense conversion rate…Brady has 3RBs…Dion Lewis-Rex Burkard- James White…3WRs-Brandin Cooks-Chris Hogan-Danny Amendola- and Rob Gronkowski to throw to….Jacksonville anchored by Calais Campbell-Marcell Darius-Malik Jackson upfront…

Patriots…Tom Brady (18-3) at home in postseason…(108-18) at home in career….New England (9-4) AFC-championship games…(6-1) at home in AFC title games…Patriots (10-1) overall vs Jaguars….(7-0) at home vs Jags…(3-1) in postseason vs Jaguars….Key-can fast improving Patriot defense stuff Leonard Fournette and make Blake Bortels throw the ball.

Jaguars….(0-7) vs Patriots in regular season…(1-3) in postseason….(1-10) vs New England overall…RB-Leoanrd Fournette to test Pats defensive front….Key can Jaguars holdup on defense if Pats spread field and throw sideline to sideline all day and to Gronkowski down the middle.

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Vikings-at-Eagles…Both teams (14-3)…both relying on backup QBs-Nick Foles-vs-Case Kennum…Game matches Vikings #1-ranked defense (275YPG).. vs Eagles #2-ranked defense (306YPG)….Vikings defense 37-QB sacks…19-takeaways…allowed only 16-red zone TDs….Eagles…36-QB sacks-31-takeaways…..Vikings also #1-scoring defense…Vikings allow 25% on 3rd down conversions….Eagles allow 32% on 3rd downs….Philadelphia ranked #4-scoring defense….Vikings (0-3) vs Eagles all time in playoffs.

Vikings…Can Vikings hold up against Eagles defensive power upfront led by Fletcher Cox-Brandon Grahame….Can Minnesota front-led by Everson Griffin-Linval Joseph stop run game if Jay Ajayi-LeGarrett Blount….Will Minnesota WRs-Stefon Diggs-Adam Theilen get open vs Vikings defense..

Eagles…Will Xavier Rhodes be able to handle either Eagles WRs-Alshon Jeffrey-Nelson Agholor …How will Nick Foles hold up against Minnesota defense…Eagles have scored just 4-TDs in last 9-quarters with Foles at QB.

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(NFL)

Joe Lockhart-VP Communications-former White House spokesman-leaving league office after 14-months on job.

Jacksonville..NFL fines LB-Tevin Smith-10,000-for taunting last weekend

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(Coaching)

Atlanta..Interview Ken Dorsey-QB coach-ex Miami
Atlanta..Interview Darrell Bevell-QB coch-ex Seahawks

Dallas..Interview John Pagano-LB coach-ex Chargers-Raiders
Dallas..Interview Ray Horton-DB coach-ex Browns-Bengals

Raiders..Hire Mike Trgovac-DL-ex Packers..Edgar Bennett-RB-ex Packers

Titans…Interview Mike Vrabel-Houston…Steve Wilks-Carolina for head coaching job.

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(College)

Aztecs…RB-Rashaad Penny…S-Kam Kelly…FB-Nick Bawden will all play in Senior Bowl.

Senior Bowl..Confirm Baker Mayfield-Oklahoma..Josh Allen-Wyoming will both play in game.

Kansas State…Head coach Bill Snyder’s grandson…22Y-old Matthew Snyder dies in Manhattan, Kansas…Suicide possible.

Oklahoma State..QB-Mason Rudolph ruled out of bowl games with foot issues.
Texas AM..QB-Shane Beuchele has hip surgery-out 4-months
Florida Atlantic..Starting QB-Jason Driskill transfers out..led team 10-wins row.

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……..(Baseball)………..

Padres..Invite 24-players to camp as non-roster invitees…included in group…veteran Ps-Tyson Ross-Chris Young….minor league free agent P-Jon Aro-Texas..Mike Mariot-Phillies..Rob Stock-Miami….Top prospects include Fernando Tatis..Luis Urias…Cal Quantrill..Jacob Nix…Eric Lauer…Joey Lucchesi.

Padres..Sign FA-C-Rafael Lopez-ex Toronto-Cubs-Reds.

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(Roster Moves)

Milwaukee..Sign FA-P-Ernesto Frieri
Toronto..Sign FA-P-Al Albuquerque..ex-Tigers
Texas..Sign FA-C-Curt Casali-ex Angels
Giants..Sign FA-2B-Engel Vielma-ex Pirates

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(MLB)

MLB…Commissioner Rob Manfred says he will invoke rule changes after talks with the Union breakdown….Manfred will invoke a (:20) pitch clock…limit pitching visits to the mound and penalties for players stepping out of batters box….Union wants use of pitching carts from bullpen…cutdown time between innings but not impact rules as to how game in played including visits to the mound by managers, coaches, players.

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……(Basketball)……….

NBA…Suspends Houston’s Trevor Ariza-Gerald Green 2-games each for entering LA Clippers lockeroom in post game confrontation.

Phoenix;…C-Marqueese Chriss-MRI-hip-facing surgery.

Lakers-Indiana…Friday night matchup….LA may be without Kyle Kouzma-Lonzo Ball with lingering injuries.

(College)

Aztecs-at-New Mexico…Saturday matchup….SDSU trying to recover from home loss to Fresno….Lobos coming off surprise win at UNLV….SDSU now (11-6)

USD-L-Portland (53-49)…Ugly loss for USD…Portland built 12 point lead…then hung on to win despite getting just 1-basket in (8:15) span in second half…Isaiah Pineiro (26P) for Toreros…but G-Isaiha wright-Olin Carter were (3-19) shooting….and USD just (4-24) shooting 3’s…Loss drops USD to (4-3) conference…Portland was (0-6) in league coming in….

Gonzaga-L-St Mary’s….Gaels with 13th game in a row with huge win in Spokane…Zags are (71-6) at home…all 6-losses at hands of St Mary’s…..Game had 23-lead changes…..Zags just (3-10) shooting 3’s……..Joc Landale (26P-12R) in win…Gaels now (17-2)…Gonzaga (16-3)..

USD-at-BYU…Saturday-West Coast conference matchup.

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……(Hockey)………..

Kings-Penguins….LA trailed (2-1) in 3rd period at press time…Kings had lost 4-of-5 coming in.

Kings-at-Anaheim….Friday night NHL hockey.

Willie O’Ree…NHL-Boston Bruins honoring him on 60th anniversary of breaking NHL color barrier…with Bruins…played with Gulls in old Western Hockey League.

San Diego Gulls….host San Jose Barracudas on Saturday.

Edmonton…F-Ryan Nugent-Hopkins placed on IR-possible concussion issues.
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…..(General)……….

US Gymnastics…..Judge refuses to suspend testimony in sentencing case Dr. Larry Nasser….Nasser wrote 6-page letter asking the closing statements from 150-victims who were abused by Nasser…USOC orders closing of the Karola Gymnastics sight in Texas where Nasser reportedly abused athletes….Nasser in tears, said he could not mentally handle what happening in court….Judge refuses to cancel hearings.

Golf…Career Builder Challenge-John Rahm (8-under-62)…had 8-birdies and eagle…Austin Cook in group (63)….Phil Mickelson (70) after opening round.

Soccer…Former star Eric Wynalda remains adamant he will run for President despite revelations of personal bankruptcy and failed businesses.

English Premeir League…top matchup…Manchester City (20-1-2) vs Newcastle United.

Australian Open…..Novak Djokovic-Roger Federer win in searing 104-degree summer heat to move to 3rd round of tourney.

Danica Patrick…lines up Go Daddy.com as sponsor to race in Daytona 500 and Indy 500…has yet to find a team to give her a ride…Chip Ganassi and Team Penske back out….Ed Carpenter Racing might look at Indy car ride.

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